Sale of McCartney Birth Certificate Is Investigated
HOUSTON — State and local officials confirmed they are investigating whether the $18,000 auction sale of ex-Beatle Paul McCartney’s birth certificate was faked to inflate the document’s value.
Officials of the state Licensing and Regulation Department and the Harris County district attorney’s office said Tuesday that the allegations made by the auction’s promoter, Cheryl Bean, could lead to charges of deceptive business practices.
The birth certificate--the legitimacy of which has not been questioned--was put up for sale last month by Marshall Terrell, who bought it from McCartney’s stepmother, Angela Williams, according to a bill of sale provided by Bean. McCartney was not involved in the sale.
Bean accused Terrell, buyer Brian Taylor, auctioneer Ray Simpson and Phoebe Moody, who took the certificate to Simpson on Terrell’s behalf, of faking the sale.
“Now when Marshall and them want to sell it, they can say, ‘Well, gee, it sold for $18,000 in Houston,’ and get a lot more for it later,” she said.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
