HYANNIS 11/24/20 Cash close up for scam story. Steve Heaslip/Cape Cod Times
Riverside, California – A Riverside County man was sentenced this week for cheating the tax system after making more than a million dollars selling memorabilia signed by comic book legend Stan Lee. Mac Martin Anderson, 59, of Corona, was ordered to serve 12 months and one day in federal prison, along with paying nearly $500,000 in restitution to the IRS.
Between 2015 and 2018, Anderson maintained a personal connection to Stan Lee, the Marvel Comics icon whose creations defined entire generations of American pop culture. During that period, Anderson sold a steady stream of Marvel-themed items bearing Lee’s signature to collectors, dealers, and brokers at conventions and private sales. The demand for these items was strong, and Anderson earned more than $1.2 million from the transactions.
Federal prosecutors said Anderson took those earnings—payments mainly made in cash or by check—and simply left them off his tax returns. The money, classified by the IRS as regular income, was unreported year after year, resulting in a massive tax shortfall. Ultimately, Anderson admitted that the taxes due on his sales totaled more than $480,000, a sum he actively concealed from federal authorities by knowingly submitting false returns.
Anderson pleaded guilty in March to two counts of willfully subscribing to a false tax return. In federal court, he acknowledged the scope of his wrongdoing, which prosecutors described as a deliberate scheme that exploited his relationship with Lee and took advantage of the enduring popularity of Marvel characters.
Stan Lee, who died in 2018, was revered not only for his creative brilliance but also for his willingness to connect with fans and share his legacy through signings and public appearances. Prosecutors suggested that Anderson’s misconduct undercut that legacy, transforming what should have been authentic fan connections into a personal cash machine he failed to report to the government.
United States District Judge Kenly Kiya Kato handed down the sentence and ordered Anderson to pay $482,833 in restitution to cover the unpaid tax burden. The relatively modest prison term still sends a pointed message: even those with unique business opportunities built on cultural nostalgia are not above the law.
