Defendants ordered to repay more than $71K after selling forged memorabilia as authentic
Two men who admitted to orchestrating a scheme involving counterfeit Jason Kelce autographs have been sentenced to probation and ordered to pay restitution for defrauding customers and businesses tied to a 2024 signing event.
Robert Capone, 52, of Philadelphia, received five years of probation and was ordered to complete 100 hours of community service after pleading guilty to multiple offenses, including theft by deception, deceptive business practices, conspiracy and forgery, according to The Mercury.
His co-defendant, Alfred P. “Freddy” Sicoli III, of Penndel, Bucks County, was sentenced to three years of probation and 50 hours of community service after pleading guilty to related charges involving conspiracy and forgery.
Prosecutors said Capone, operating through his business, arranged for Sicoli to replicate Kelce’s signature on sports memorabilia and then marketed the items as authentic. The fraudulent merchandise was connected to a private autograph signing event held in June 2024 at the Valley Forge Casino Hotel in Upper Merion. Investigators later determined that a large volume of forged items entered circulation shortly after the event.
Authorities said the scheme caused financial harm to individuals who paid for legitimate autographs, as well as to an authentication company that unknowingly handled the counterfeit items. In total, the court ordered $71,077 in restitution, with Capone responsible for 80 percent and Sicoli for the remaining 20 percent.
According to prosecutors, the case also carried a broader impact beyond financial losses, undermining confidence in the sports memorabilia market, which depends heavily on authenticity and trust. Both defendants accepted responsibility in court and expressed remorse for their actions.
The investigation began after a memorabilia company reported concerns about fraudulent items following the June 2024 signing. Detectives later uncovered communications between the two men that outlined the production of the forged signatures and payments tied to the operation.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
