Bay Area man found guilty of selling fake Willie Mays items sentenced to federal prison

A Bay Area sports memorabilia dealer who was convicted in a scheme where he sold fake items that he claimed were used by Giants legend Willie Mays has been sentenced to federal prison, prosecutors said.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Northern District of California, 40-year-old Daniel Damato of Concord was sentenced to 21 months on Monday. Damato, who was previously remanded into custody, began serving his sentence immediately.

In December, Damato pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in connection with the scheme. According to court filings, between 2022 and 2024, Damato doctored and falsely represented items to make them appear as authentic and legitimate sports collectibles.

Prosecutors said Damato admitted that in 2023 he sold a baseball bat that he falsely represented as being used by Mays in the 1954 World Series to a victim for $100,000. The item turned out to be a "factory error" bat that was an inch shorter than what Mays used during this career.

After receiving $100,000 from the victim, prosecutors said Damato did not send the victim anything back.

Prosecutors said Damato admitted to selling a jersey falsely claimed as being game worn by Mays that was sold for $50,000 to a second victim.

Regarded as one of the greatest baseball players of all-time, Mays played more than two decades with the New York and San Francisco Giants. He died in 2024 at the age of 93.

The court also found that Damato defrauded a third victim in the scheme, determining that he stole more than $900,000 from the victim while falsely promising to deliver sports memorabilia. In his plea agreement, prosecutors said Damato admitted to contacting a witness following an FBI search of his home, in an attempt to obstruct the government's investigation.

Along with the prison sentence, Damato was sentenced to three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $1,068,940 in restitution.