Former California resident Anthony J. Tremayne has pleaded guilty to selling hundreds of thousands of dollars in fake memorabilia. Tremayne sold memorabilia he claimed had been signed by famous athletes and celebrities.
The Department of Justice of California said that Tremayne ran his fake memorabilia scheme from 2010 to 2019. He operated the business in Orange and Los Angeles counties while selling memorabilia he claimed had been autographed by athletes on local teams like the Lakers, Clippers, Angels and Kings. He also falsely claimed to have merchandise signed by members of the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls.
Among the memorabilia sold by Tremayne were replica Stanley Cups, fake Masters jackets and flags, Pro Football Hall of Fame jackets and guitars. There was also a photo with a falsified Kobe Byrant autograph.
In addition to the fraudulent sports memorabilia, Tremayne also sold movie memorabilia with forged signatures from stars of the “Twilight,” “Star Wars,” “Hunger Games” and “Captain America” franchises.
In total, Tremayne sold anywhere from $250,000 to $550,000 in fake memorabilia throughout the life of the scam. He was charged with 13 counts of wire fraud, three counts of mail fraud and three counts of aggravated identity theft.
Tremayne, who now resides in Mexico, faces up to 20 years in U.S. federal prison.
