‘Conman made £1m from fake football shirts’
Star signatures were forged, court told
FOOTBALL fans were ripped off by a conman peddling fake signed shirts, balls and boots for up to £700 each in a £1million scam, a court heard.
David Rennie claimed they were signed by stars such as Messi and Ronaldo.
He allegedly told customers his “team” at FA Premier Signings spent hours waiting at training grounds to get signatures.
Instead he is accused of faking them with a marker pen on replicas from shops such as Sports Direct.
Rennie, 46, sold over 4,500 in nine years on eBay and his firm’s website. They included 200 Messi items, 272 Ronaldo, and hundreds more relating to Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney. A legitimate dealer, who counts Rooney as a client, became suspicious and complained to Trading Standards. Officials bought a £150 Rooney shirt and found the signature was fake. They found unsigned items, an authentication stamp and blank certificates at his home in Banbury, Oxon, Bournemouth crown court heard. Rennie denies running a fraudulent business and transferring criminal proceeds to his bank account. The trial continues.