Courts. (Credit: Flickr/Creative Commons)
A Philadelphia man admitted in court that he masterminded a scheme to sell fake Jason Kelce-signed memorabilia, valued at more than $200,000, during a 2024 autograph event in King of Prussia.
Robert Capone, 51, of the 2000 block of Reserve Drive, pleaded guilty in Montgomery County Court to felony charges of theft by deception, conspiracy, deceptive business practices and forgery, court records show, according to The Mercury.
Judge Risa Vetri Ferman deferred sentencing until November while prosecutors determine restitution. Capone remains free on bail.
The charges carry a possible maximum sentence of 13 to 26 years in prison, though state guidelines allow for a lesser sentence, according to The Mercury.
Assistant District Attorney Gwendolyn Marie Kull said Capone deceived collectors, authentication companies and customers by hiring an artist to forge Kelce’s autograph on sports merchandise, according to the report.
The fake items surfaced shortly after a private signing event with the retired Eagles star in June 2024 at Valley Forge Casino Hotel.
Detectives said Capone, doing business as Overtime Promotions, collected some legitimate merchandise at the event but kept other items off-site for later forgeries, according to The Mercury. Within a week, more than 1,100 fake items entered the market, according to the affidavit.
Authorities also charged Alfred P. “Freddy” Sicoli III, 51, of Penndel, in March for allegedly forging Kelce’s signatures at a Philadelphia hotel.
Sicoli, who operated an art business known as Killer Kreations, is awaiting trial, according to the article.
Prosecutors said restitution will be sought at sentencing to cover losses to buyers and to an authentication service that unknowingly certified counterfeit items.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
