NORRISTOWN — A Philadelphia man and two others from Rhode Island were charged in connection with an alleged fraud scheme to sell fake Jason Kelce-signed memorabilia, valued at about $200,000, after an investigation that began in Upper Merion Township. Robert Capone, 51, of the 2000 block of Reserve Drive, Philadelphia, LeeAnn Branco, 43, of Bristol, R.I., and Joseph Parenti, 39, of Cranston, R.I., each face charges of forgery, theft by deception, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, and deceptive or fraudulent business practices in connection with alleged incidents that occurred in June 2024. Capone was arraigned on the charges on Wednesday and released on $100,000 unsecured bail to await a Feb. 5 preliminary hearing before District Court Judge James P. Gallagher. Robert Capone (Photo courtesy Montgomery County District Attorney) Branco and Parenti are expected to turn themselves in to Montgomery County detectives at a later date and will be arraigned on the charges at that time, authorities said. The arrests were announced by District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Upper Merion Police Chief Blaine Leis. An investigation began in June 2024, when detectives were alerted to the alleged fraud and theft by TCH Humphreys LLC, a sports memorabilia company located in Royersford, which had contracted with former Philadelphia Eagles player Kelce to conduct official signings of memorabilia at a private event at the Valley Forge Casino Hotel in Upper Merion between June 11 and 12, 2024. The legitimate memorabilia items signed by Kelce were verified by Professional Sports Authenticator, according to a criminal complaint filed by county Detective James Reape and Upper Merion Detective Jessie Daywalt. But about a week after the June 11 signing, more than 1,100 forged memorabilia items began to surface from two companies, Diamond Legends, owned by Parenti, and Overtime Promotions, owned by Capone, and purported to be from the signing at the casino, detectives alleged. The questioned items allegedly were “verified” by Branco, an employee of Beckett Authentication Services, detectives said. The value of the 1,138 memorabilia items, which included signed jerseys, helmets, mini-helmets, hats, photos, footballs and other items, was approximately $200,000, according to court papers. The investigation found that Capone, Parenti and Branco conspired to use Branco’s Beckett Authentication Services credentials to create counterfeit autographed sport memorabilia and then offered the items for sale as authentically contracted-for products signed by Kelce, detectives alleged. Branco and Parenti attended the legitimate signing event on June 11 at the Valley Forge Casino Hotel, and Branco secured a photo with Kelce in order to validate her “in-the-presence authentication” of the forged memorabilia that was never actually signed by Kelce, according to detectives. Capone allegedly attended the event to receive some authentic memorabilia while keeping other memorabilia off-site for later forgeries and sale. The certificate of authenticity issued by Branco induced the sale of unauthorized, inauthentic Kelce-autographed memorabilia without his consent, causing financial loss for Kelce, THC Humphreys LLC and others at approximately $200,000, authorities alleged. Kelce provided a statement to detectives verifying that he did not conduct any separate contracted signings on June 11, according to court papers. “Mr. Kelce reports he did not meet at any time with Ms. Branco at the hotel for signings or with Mr. Parenti at any location in the City of Philadelphia,” Reape and Daywalt wrote in court papers. “Mr. Kelce indicated he was home the evening of June 11, 2024.” One of Capone’s customers, who runs a nonprofit group that conducts silent auctions at charity events, told detectives he paid Capone $4,700 for 40 autographs, according to court documents. Authorities placed a retail value on each signature originating from the legitimate event to range between $175 and $200. Using the lower value of $175, times the 1,138 pieces counterfeited, authorities estimated the value of the fraudulent actions to be $199,150, according to the criminal complaint. As a result of the investigation, officials of Beckett Authentication Services suspended the authentications and removed them from the public database, detectives said.