Newly released police video taken at this summer’s National Sports Collectors Convention shows the dealer whose booth was shut down over autograph authenticity concerns claiming the signed items he was selling were “decorative items.” At the same time, Tony Podsada says those same autographs “are real. They’ve been looked at by our experts.” Podsada, … [Read more...]
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Updated: Dealer Booth Shut Down Over Fake Autographs
A dealer at the National Sports Collectors Convention had his booth shut down and his autographed items confiscated by police Thursday at the I-X Center. Fellow dealers alerted show officials and investigators from the Cleveland Police Financial Crimes Unit soon arrived on the scene, confiscating numerous containers, wrapped items and boxes believed to be carrying phony … [Read more...]
Owner of Steel-Town Memorabilia Pleads Guilty to Selling Fakes
A 38-year-old South Carolina man has pleaded guilty in federal court to trafficking in counterfeit goods including some autographed memorabilia that wasn’t real. Evidence presented at a change of plea hearing established that Joshua D. Korb ran an online eBay store called Steel-Town Memorabilia. The investigation was initiated from a request by the NFL … [Read more...]
Man Accused in Phony Autograph Ring Changes Plea…Again
One of several men facing charges in connection with a phony sports autograph ring based in Ohio has pleaded guilty for the second time. WYTV in Youngstown reports that Jason Moore, who recently withdrew a guilty plea he agreed to more than a year ago, has changed his mind again. Moore was in court Monday and is expected to be sentenced early next … [Read more...]
3 Now Under Indictment in Autograph Fraud Case
An Ohio grand jury has indicted three men in what has been described as the biggest case of domestic fraud in the history of eBay. Clifton Panezich, 30, who is from Austintown, OH but has been living in Las Vegas, is accused of being the ringleader of the group. He is now facing fraud and forgery charges, according to reports by Youngstown TV stations. Craig … [Read more...]
Second Man Sentenced in Bogus Autograph Case
An Ohio man has been sentenced to five years of probation for contributing to what a huge phony autograph scam conducted online. Shawn Pelo, 27, of Warren, pleaded guilty Monday to one count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity. WKBN-TV was there for the sentencing. Four others have also pleaded guilty in the case and a grand jury is examining evidence … [Read more...]
Grand Jury Considers Ohio Man, Mom Over Bogus Autograph Claims
After several men from northeast Ohio pleaded guilty last year, Ohio prosecutors promised more charges were coming in a major fraud case involving fake autographs sold on eBay. This week, a grand jury is considering evidence that could put a 61-year-old woman and her son on trial. WFMJ-TV in Youngstown reported Wednesday that prosecutors believe Rose Panezich and her … [Read more...]
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty in $2.5 Million Fake Autograph Scheme
Selling fake autographs online is easy...until you get caught. Federal prosecutors say the former owner of a group of internet sports memorabilia businesses based in the Mid-Atlantic states faces a federal prison sentence and restitution after selling huge quantities of fake autographed sports jerseys and other items over a five-year period. Joshua Aaron Shores, 41, … [Read more...]
5th Guilty Plea in Huge Bogus Autograph Scheme
An Ohio man has become the fifth person arrested in connection with what investigators say is the biggest case of domestic fraud in eBay history. The Mahoning County Prosecutor’s office told WFMJ-TV in Youngstown that 37-year-old Daniel Marino of Austintown pleaded guilty Tuesday to engaging in corrupt activity. Marino was fined $4,000 and placed on six months house … [Read more...]
Ohio Authorities: Guilty Pleas in Fake Autograph Case
Four Ohio men have pleaded guilty in a major sports memorabilia fraud case and prosecutors say more people are expected to face consequences for their roles. The Mahoning County Prosecutor’s office told Youngstown area media Friday that the four were only part of a larger operation involving fake autographs and memorabilia that cheated 25,000 people out of more than $2 … [Read more...]
