PA Man Admits Selling $200K Worth Of Memorabilia With Fake Jason Kelce Signature

HAVERFORD TOWNSHIP, PA — Jason Kelce may be Haverford Township and Delaware County's most famous resident. The legendary Eagles center and Super Bowl LII champion is a man about town in the area and at the Jersey shore.

Known for his jovial nature, Kelce would likely sign memorabilia if asked. But a Philadelphia man decided to forge his signature on memorabilia and hawk the bogus items to fans.

Robert Capone, 51, of Philadelphia, was charged in January this year with theft, forgery, and related counts after authorities said he and others ripped off the public to the tune of some $200,000 by selling forged Kelce-signed memorabilia. Last week, Capone pleaded guilty to forgery, theft by deception, deceptive business practices, and conspiracy.

Capone is scheduled for sentencing on Nov. 20, court records show.

An investigation began back in June 2024 in Upper Merion Township, when authorities said they discovered some 1,100 items, including jerseys, helmets, hats, photos, mini-helmets, footballs, and more, with fake autographs on them.

Capone, along with LeeAnn Branco, 43, of Bristol, Rhode Island, and Joseph Parenti, 39, Cranston, Rhode Island, was charged as a result.

The trio claimed that the items were signed by Kelce on June 11 and June 12, 2024, at the Valley Forge Casino Hotel, police said. To fully sell the deception, Capone, Branco, and Parenti attended the event and Branco took a photo with Kelce, officials said.

Capone's company, Overtime Promotions, Parenti's company, Diamond Legends, made the sales, while Branco, who works for Beckett Authentication Services, "verified" the items, according to the District Attorney's Office.

Royersford-based TCH Humphreys LLC, a legitimate sports memorabilia company, had contracted with Kelce for the Valley Forge Casino event, and they recognized the fakes and reported them to authorities.