Brothers Donald and Mark Henkel Plead Guilty to Forging Art and Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig Memorabilia; Co-Defendant's Charges Dropped

Case from 2022–2026 (U.S. Attorney's Office release: April 21, 2022; later developments are from court records and other sources cited below). Published on Scammers.com Oct. 16, 2026; case status is current as of that date.

Michigan brothers Donald Henkel and Mark Henkel pleaded guilty in federal court in Chicago on Feb. 13, 2026, in a long-running scheme to forge signatures and invent histories for paintings and sports memorabilia, according to court records [3] and ESPN [2]. A third man charged in the case, Raymond Paparella of Boca Raton, Florida, had his charges dismissed without prejudice on March 11, 2026, at the government's request [3]. As of Oct. 16, 2026, neither brother had been sentenced.

What prosecutors alleged

A federal indictment unsealed April 21, 2022, alleged a scheme that ran from 2005 to 2020, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois [1]:

• Forged signatures. Donald Henkel allegedly added false autographs or signatures to paintings and to sports, Hollywood and music collectibles. Prosecutors said he put the names of artists such as Ralston Crawford and George Ault on paintings he knew they did not create.
• Fake histories. Donald Henkel and "straw sellers" recruited by Mark Henkel allegedly supplied false provenance for items including a painting by Gertrude Abercrombie and baseballs or bats said to be signed by Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner and Cy Young.
• Big-ticket sales. Many forged items allegedly sold for more than $100,000 to art galleries, auction houses and individual buyers.
• Witness tampering. Mark Henkel was also charged with corruptly persuading a co-schemer to lie to law enforcement.

Prosecutors had also alleged that the brothers used vintage pens to forge the signatures, ESPN reported [2].

The guilty pleas

On Feb. 13, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Elaine E. Bucklo [3] [2]:

• Donald Henkel pleaded guilty to Count 1 of the superseding indictment, which ESPN reported was mail fraud.
• Mark Henkel pleaded guilty to Count 4, which ESPN reported was wire fraud.

According to ESPN's review of the plea agreements, the brothers admitted to a scheme to defraud "art galleries, auction houses, and individual buyers." They also admitted creating false provenances for baseballs or bats later sold for about $120,000. ESPN reported that Donald Henkel admitted to conduct causing $780,000 in losses, and Mark Henkel to conduct causing $332,500 [2].

Sentencing was continued several times, with a hearing for Mark Henkel last reset to Aug. 28, 2026 [3]. Court records show more continuances and extension orders through Oct. 14, 2026, and no judgment on the docket.

The defendants

Defendant	Age at charging, home	Status as of Oct. 16, 2026
Donald Henkel	61, Cedar, Mich.	Pleaded guilty Feb. 13, 2026 (Count 1, mail fraud per ESPN); sentencing pending. No sentence found in public sources as of Oct. 16, 2026
Mark Henkel	66, Ann Arbor, Mich.	Pleaded guilty Feb. 13, 2026 (Count 4, wire fraud per ESPN); sentencing pending. No sentence found in public sources as of Oct. 16, 2026
Raymond Paparella	59, Boca Raton, Fla.	Charges dismissed without prejudice on the government's motion, March 11, 2026. He is not convicted of any crime in this case

Red flags when buying signed art or memorabilia

• A long, colorful backstory with no documents behind it. Provenance should be verifiable, not just a story from the seller.
• "Estate" or private sellers with rare items priced far above typical market, or far below it.
• Authentication only from the seller's own expert.

What to do

1. Get independent authentication from recognized authenticators or art experts the seller didn't choose, before you pay.
2. Verify the provenance trail. Ask for receipts, auction records and prior owners, and check them yourself.
3. Report suspected forgeries to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov (the FBI has an Art Crime Team) and to the auction house or gallery involved.

Sources

1. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois, "Three Men Charged With Scheming To Create and Sell False Works of Art and Memorabilia," April 21, 2022. https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/pr/three-men-charged-scheming-create-and-sell-false-works-art-and-memorabilia
2. ESPN, Dan Hajducky, "How the sports memorabilia industry tries to stay ahead of fraud," February 2026. https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/47896075/sports-memorabilia-collectibles-companies-authenticate-fraud
3. CourtListener, United States v. Henkel, No. 1:22-cr-00058 (N.D. Ill.), docket. https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/63256612/united-states-v-henkel/

---

Corrections and updates: If you are named in this article, or represent someone who is, and believe anything here is inaccurate or out of date (including a dismissal, acquittal, or change in case status), please contact us at editorandchief@scammers.com. We will review it and update the article promptly.