NORRISTOWN, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — The Montgomery County District Attorney’s office has withdrawn charges against two people accused of trying to pass off hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of Eagles memorabilia with forged autographs from Jason Kelce.
Officials said the ongoing investigation found Lee Ann Branco, 44, and 49-year-old Joseph Parenti, 49, did not know the autographs were fake when they authenticated and sold more than 1,100 items through a Rhode Island store owned by Parenti.
Branco and Parenti, along with 51-year-old Robert Capone of South Philadelphia, had been charged with 60 felony counts, including forgery and theft by deception. Capone remains charged and is awaiting trial. No date has been set.
Prosecutors initially said Branco verified about $200,000 worth of merchandise as an employee of Texas-based Beckett Authentication Services, while Parenti and Capone sold them through their own businesses.
The scheme was discovered after a private signing event last June. According to officials, Branco, Parenti and Capone all attended the event at Valley Forge Casino Hotel, with Branco taking a picture with Kelce in order to validate her authentications. The company that contracted Kelce for the event contacted police about the phony signatures.
Prosecutors said Branco and Parenti are cooperating with the investigation.