Overview
- Capone admitted guilt to three third-degree felonies—conspiracy to commit theft by deception, theft by deception and deceptive business practices—and a first-degree misdemeanor for forgery.
- Investigators say the operation produced more than 1,100 counterfeit items falsely bearing Kelce’s autograph, generating about $200,000 in sales through Capone’s firm and a Rhode Island retailer.
- Authorities allege Capone infiltrated a private Jason Kelce signing event at Valley Forge Casino in June 2024 to photograph genuine autographs and bolster the forgeries’ legitimacy.
- Co-defendants LeeAnn Branco and Joseph Parenti had their charges dropped in June after evidence showed they were unwittingly involved, clearing them of the original 60 felony counts.
- Restitution figures and victim-impact statements will be finalized during the pre-sentencing investigation ahead of his late-August hearing.