The Giants have shaken up the team's equipment staff, following the settlement of the Eli Manning civil case that accused the team of selling fraudulent memorabilia that was marketed as "game worn" but in reality was not.
Longtime team employees Edward and Joseph Skiba and Ed Wagner Jr. were let go, NJ Advance Media has confirmed. According to ESPN, which first reported the story:
Edward and Joseph Skiba and Ed Wagner Jr. were let go, multiple sources told ESPN. Joseph Skiba was the team's equipment director. Edward Skiba, his brother, was the assistant equipment manager. Wagner was the equipment/locker room manager. He had worked for the Giants his entire adult life, according to a 1999 story by The New York Times. His father also was an equipment manager for the team.
The Giants declined to comment on the shakeup.
Joseph Skiba, who was a defendant in the original lawsuit, was asked by Manning in an email to get "2 helmets that can pass as game used." He obliged, and whether the helmets were in fact game used was a point of contention throughout the back-and-forth between the parties.
He was not liable in the civil suit that was settled May 14, according to the judge's summary judgment.
Skiba, who was accused of making the fake Manning helmets that were sold to collectors by Steiner Sports (the company with which Manning is under contract to provide game-worn jerseys and helmets for sale), had almost all the claims against him dismissed. The judge agreed with his counsel's arguments that he never profited from the exchange of helmets, nor did he ever directly represent the items as game-used to consumers.
The case against Manning and the Giants was settled on May 14, days prior to the scheduled start of the civil trial.
Prior to reaching a settlement, both Manning and Giants owner John Mara were deposed in the case.
"[Plaintiffs] Eric Inselberg, Michael Jakab and Sean Godown have resolved all claims in their pending litigation against the New York Giants, Eli Manning, John Mara, William Heller, Joseph Skiba, Edward Skiba and Steiner Sports, in accordance with a confidential settlement agreement reached today," read a joint statement released by both parties. "The compromise agreement, entered into by all parties, should not be viewed as supporting any allegations, claims or defenses. All parties are grateful to have the matter, which began in 2014, concluded and are now focused on football, the fans and the future."
Ryan Dunleavy contributed to this report
Matt Lombardo may be reached at MLombardo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattLombardoNFL