Three people—Robert Capone (51) from Philadelphia, LeeAnn Branco (43) from Bristol, RI, and Joseph Parenti (39) from Cranston, RI—are charged with promoting 1,138 pieces bearing solid Jason Kelce signatures. The alleged scheme netted $200,000 in gross sales however left a path of deceit that the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office is now unraveling.
This isn’t some small-time hustle. It’s a calculated rip-off. Branco even took a photograph with Kelce at a valid signing tournament at Valley Forge Casino Hotel (June 11–12, 2024). That photograph turned into a part of their quilt tale, used along Branco’s credentials from Beckett Authentication Services to falsely “validate” the cast pieces.
Capone, in the meantime, secured reliable Kelce-signed memorabilia all through the development however saved different pieces off-site. Why? To later flood the marketplace with solid products, promoting it thru his trade, Overtime Promotions, and Parenti’s corporate, Diamond Legends.
TCH Humphreys LLC smelled fraud, and the case unraveled
Here’s the place issues fell aside. TCH Humphreys LLC, the organizers of Kelce’s signing tournament, spotted irregularities. They had a freelance with Kelce and had been answerable for managing the respectable signing tournament. When they noticed solid pieces doping up, they contacted Montgomery County Detectives and Upper Merion Police, exposing the operation.
It seems, the authentically signed memorabilia from the development were verified by means of Professional Sports Authenticator. The solid pieces? A distinct tale. Jerseys, helmets, footage, footballs—not anything escaped the trio’s counterfeit operation.
Sixty criminal fees—and it’s now not taking a look excellent
Each of the 3 defendants faces 60 criminal fees, together with forgery, robbery, and misleading trade practices. This isn’t petty crime; that is primary. The District Attorney’s Office additionally claims the fraudulent gross sales financially harm each Jason Kelce and TCH Humphreys LLC, additional solidifying the case towards them.
Capone used to be arraigned on January 22, 2025, and launched on $100,000 bail. Branco and Parenti are anticipated to give up and face arraignment quickly.
The value of counterfeit products
This scheme wasn’t with reference to making a handy guide a rough greenback. It broken reputations, harm reliable trade companions, and took good thing about lovers prepared to pay best buck for unique memorabilia. The 1,138 solid pieces weren’t simply fakes—they had been fraud. And it’s now not simply Kelce who loses right here; it’s the lovers who relied on that signature.
A initial listening to is ready for February 5, 2025. It’ll decide the trio’s destiny, however the injury? That’s already performed. Whether Kelce makes a decision to handle this publicly continues to be noticed. For now, the case stands as a obtrusive instance of the lengths some will cross to take advantage of the title and legacy of athletes like Kelce.
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