Fake Babe Ruth Autographs Lead to Fraud Charges

Detectives have charged 40-year-old Marc A. Szakaly with organized fraud, saying he sold baseballs with a forged Babe Ruth autograph.

Szakaly was arrested Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. in his home in Land O’ Lakes.

On March 18, Szakaly sold a baseball with a forged letter of authenticity to in Largo. "The counterfeit baseball was sold for about $1,000," Lt. Mike Loux said.

The pawn shop later discovered the autograph was fake and contacted Largo Police. 

Over the course of several months, “a Largo detective was able to piece together similar incidents and present it to the state prosecutor,” Loux said.

The detective found that Szakaly was involved in 35 incidents of counterfeit baseballs sold to numerous stores in Florida.

Szakaly’s case will be handled by the Office of Statewide Prosecution.