Three people are charged with selling merchandise with fake Jason Kelce signatures, according to a spokesperson with the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office.
Robert Capone, 51, of Philadelphia, 43-year-old LeeAnn Branco, of Bristol, Rhode Island and 39-year-old Joseph Parenti, of Cranston, Rhode Island are accused of selling over 1,100 items they claimed were signed by the former Eagles player, officials said. These items were found to be forged.
According to officials, the real Jason Kelce was scheduled to attend a signing ceremony at the Valley Forge Casino Hotel on June 11 and June 12, 2024.
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The three defendants attended the signing event where Branco took a photo with Kelce that she would eventually use to validate the authentication of the forged items that weren't actually signed by Kelce, officials said.
At the event, Capone got some authentically signed memorabilia and kept other items off-site to sell, according to officials.
They would then go on to use Branco's credentials at Beckett Authentication Services and her photo with Kelce to create and "verify" the fake signed sports merchandise that they sold, officials allege.
The forged items were then sold by Capone's Overtime Promotions and Parenti's Diamond Legends.
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Montgomery County Detectives and Upper Merion Police explained that they were contacted by TCH Humphreys LLC that alerted them to the fraudulent sales.
TCH Humphreys LLC held a contract with the real Kelce and were behind the legitimate signing event in Valley Forge. The real items that were signed by Kelce were verified by Professional Sports Authenticator.
In all, Capone, Branco and Parenti sold 1,138 items that totaled $200,000, according to the District Attorney's Office.
The Montgomery County District Attorney's Office alleges that the forged items caused financial loss to Jason Kelce and THC Humphreys LLC.
They each face 60 felony charges including forgery, theft, deceptive business practices and other charges.
Capone was arraigned on Wednesday, Jan. 22. His bail was set to $100,000 and he was released.
Officials expect that Branco and Parenti will turn themselves in and they will be arraigned then. On Thursday, Jan. 23, officials told NBC10 Branco and Parenti were still in Rhode Island and that a detective would work with their legal representation to transport them to Pennsylvania since they aren't violent offenders.
An attorney for Capone also sent NBC10 the following statement.
"Overtime promotions has been in business for over seven years and has sold thousands of pieces of sports and entertainment memorabilia without any issues," the attorney wrote. "The company also has done hundreds of in person autograph sessions over the years. Overtime promotions did in fact have items signed at the Jason Kelce signing on June 11th and 12th of last year. The narrative of the story created by the investigating officers is convoluted as it involves two other defendants and all the facts are being lumped together. Overtime Promotions in no way shape or form were ever in possession of any forged memorabilia of Jason Kelce. The issue before my client is not forgery but it is with the certification of certain items that he entrusted with Ms. Branco to certify properly."
