Concord merchant Daniel Damato has entered a guilty plea to a charge of wire fraud, following his engagement in the sale of counterfeit sports memorabilia, a scheme that preyed on the enthusiasm and trust of collectors, officials said yesterday. According to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Agustin Lopez, Damato attempted to sell doctored items with forged histories, convincing buyers they were purchasing authentic mementos.
Details released by federal prosecutors reveal that Damato's fraudulent operations ran from 2022 to 2024. He is accountable for falsifying a piece of baseball history by selling a bat for $100,000, which he falsely claimed was used by the legendary Willie Mays during the 1954 World Series. Further investigations disclosed that the bat not only missed the mark of authenticity by an inch but also had never been part of that storied series, or anywhere near Mays's hands.
Adding to the misdeeds, Damato also peddled a fake jersey purported to be worn by Mays in a game for $50,000, weaving a web of lies that eventually caught him in the snare of the law. Once the FBI initiated a search of his Concord house in October 2024, Damato compounded his troubles by contacting a potential witness, an act seen as an attempt to obstruct the federal investigation.
As Damato awaits his sentencing scheduled for March 23, 2026, he faces the prospect of a maximum 20 years behind the bars along with a penalty of up to $250,000. "Any sentence will be imposed by the Court after consideration of the United States Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553," as outlined in the prosecutors' statement, per the U.S. Attorney's Office. The case against Damato is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Abraham Fine, with Amala James assisting.
