OAKLAND, California — Daniel Damato, a 42-year-old sports memorabilia dealer from Concord, California, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud after admitting he sold fake collectible items and attempted to interfere with an FBI investigation. The charge was filed on October 20, 2025.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Damato ran the scheme between 2022 and 2024, altering memorabilia and providing fabricated provenance to pass them off as genuine sports artifacts. In 2023, he sold a baseball bat for $100,000, falsely claiming it had been used by Willie Mays during the 1954 World Series. Investigators later confirmed the bat was merely a “factory error” and had no connection to Mays. Damato also profited from a jersey he inaccurately described as a game-worn Mays item, selling it for $50,000.
Following an FBI search of his home in October 2024, Damato tried to obstruct the investigation by reaching out to a potential witness, authorities said. His guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Agustin Lopez.
Damato is scheduled to be sentenced on March 23, 2026, by District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín. He faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The final sentence will be determined in accordance with federal statutes and the United States Sentencing Guidelines, including 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Abraham Fine is leading the prosecution, with support from Amala James. The case stems from an FBI investigation into fraudulent sports memorabilia sales.
