Montco DA charges Philadelphia business with selling forged Jason Kelce-signed memorabilia valued at $200K

The man behind a popular “Philadelphia athlete-based marketing firm” whose specialty is bringing stars like Eagles running back Kenneth Gainwell and Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos to meet and greets was arraigned Wednesday in Montgomery County on 60 counts of forgery and related crimes in connection with an alleged effort to sell $200,000 worth of fake Jason Kelce memorabilia.

Robert Capone, 51, runs Overtime Promotions, which in addition to local athletes — the company’s website touts access to “most all current and former players” on the Philadelphia Eagles and Flyers — has partnerships with a slew of actors, such as Christopher McDonald, who played Shooter McGavin in Happy Gilmore.

Though the business’ social media focuses on the meet and greets, customers can find autographed photos of athletes or a Three’s Company poster signed by the cast on the Overtime Promotions website. Capone’s is alleged to have conspired with two Rhode Island residents in a forgery and subsequent attempt to sell more than 1,100 memorabilia items with forged Kelce signatures, according to the criminal complaint.

Capone could not immediately be reached by phone and he has no attorney listed.

Kelce held a private event at the Valley Forge Casino in June where he did sign memorabilia, according to prosecutors. But that event was through TCH Humphreys LLC, a sports memorabilia company in Royersford.

Detectives outlined an attempt by Capone and Joseph Parenti, 39, owner of Diamond Legends, which describes itself as “Rhode Island’s premier location for authentic memorabilia and hand-signed collectibles,” to intercept that event and act as though they were part of it. The business owners are said to have worked with Rhode Island resident LeeAnn Branco, 43 and an employee of Beckett Authentication Services, to pass off the forgeries as real by acting as though she’d seen Kelce sign the slew of items.

To make the forgery believable, all three suspects attended the event at one point in time. While there, Branco took a photo with Kelce to validate her “in-the-presence authentication of the forged memorabilia that was never actually signed by Kelce,” according to the criminal complaint.

Prosecutors say Capone also attended the event to keep “other memorabilia off-site for later forgeries and sale,” according to the DA’s office. Detectives said Capone purchased some 90 items that were signed by the former Eagle.

Capone and the pair from Rhode Island are accused of then trying to pass off signed jerseys, helmets, mini-helmets, hats, photos, and footballs through their respective companies using the faked authentication provided by Branco.

Upper Merion Township police and Montgomery County detectives were alerted to 1,100 memorabilia items by TCH Humphreys LLC and Kelce’s manager.

Throughout their investigation, detectives found at least three of Capone’s customers, including a nonprofit that conducts silent auctions at charity events, raised concerns about the sudden change in the company that provided the authentication. The event organizers had said a different company would be there for in-person authentication.

In an interview with Rhode Island State Police, Branco and Parenti admitted to not seeing Kelce sign the memorabilia firsthand and taking Capone’s word for it, thinking it was a separate “cash deal” between Capone and Kelce, authorities said. Parenti would tell police he felt used by Capone to gain access to Branco.

According to the criminal complaint, detectives would learn Branco told a fellow employee the signing of the items took place late at night on June 11 in a separate signing at Valley Forge. Kelce would later tell detectives that no such separate signing occurred and he was home that evening. Cell tower records confirm Kelce was home when he claimed to be, said detectives. What’s more, detectives found cell tower records show no communication between Kelce, Capone, Branco, or Parenti before, during, or after the legitimate Valley Forge signing.

Branco and Parenti are expected to turn themselves in to Montgomery County detectives.

Capone’s bail was set at $100,000 and was released on unsecured bail Wednesday. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Feb. 5.