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Trio Charged With Forging Eagles Players Memorabilia
Robert Capone mugshot
by Alex Lloyd Gross
Signed memorabilia from athletes and entertainers is valuable to some people. They will pay a kings ransom to get items autographed.They collect them and to them it’s a good investment. Others will find a way to prey on collectors, including forging signatures and then passing them off as legitimate.
Three individuals thought that they can make a quick buck selling items signed by former Eagles player Jason Kelce. The scam started June 11-12, 2024, at the Valley Forge Casino Hotel where Kelce was contracted to do a signing..Apparently, forged items were offered for sale by Overtime Promotions, owned by Capone, and Diamond Legends, owned by Parenti. The items were “verified” by Branco, an employee of Beckett Authentication Services. The value of these 1,138 memorabilia items—including signed jerseys, helmets, mini-helmets, hats, photos, footballs and other items—was approximately $200,000.
Police said that Robert Capone, 51, of Philadelphia; LeeAnn Branco, 43, of Bristol, R.I.; and Joseph Parenti, 39, Cranston, R.I., will all stand trial on charges of Forgery, Theft, Deceptive Business Practices. police said the scam worked like this:
Capone, Parenti and Branco conspired to use Branco’s Beckett Authentication Services credentials to create counterfeit autographed sport memorabilia and then offered it for sale as authentically contracted-for products signed by Kelce.
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Branco and Parenti attended the legitimate signing event on June 11, 2024, at the Valley Forge Casino Hotel, and Branco secured a photo with Kelce in order to validate her in-the-presence authentication of
the forged memorabilia that was never actually signed by Kelce. Capone further attended the event to receive some authentic memorabilia while keeping other memorabilia off-site for later forgeries and sale. The certificate of authenticity issued by Branco induced the sale of unauthorized, inauthentic Kelce-autographed memorabilia without his consent police said.
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Alex Lloyd Gross File Photo Delaware Valley News.com Jason Kelce at the Art Museum during the Super Bowl Parade .
Capone, Branco and Parenti are charged with 60 felony counts including Forgery, Theft by Deception, Dealing in the Proceeds of Unlawful Practices, Deceptive Business Practices and other charges.
Capone was arraigned today, Jan. 22, 2025, by Magisterial District Judge Patrick Krouse, who set bail at $100,000 unsecured, and Capone was released. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m., Feb. 5, 2025, before Magisterial District Judge James P. Gallagher.Branco and Parenti are expected to turn themselves in to Montgomery County Detectives and will be arraigned on the charges at that time.
Police were alerted to the scam by TCH Humphreys LLC, a sports memorabilia company located in
Royersford, The forged items were offered for sale by Overtime Promotions, owned by
Capone, and Diamond Legends, owned by Parenti. The items were “verified” by Branco, an employee of Beckett Authentication Services.