By KATI CORNELL and JENNIFER FERMINO
June 24, 2008
A Brooklyn handwriting expert who has authenticated almost 200,000 pieces of sports memorabilia - including Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Cy Young autographs - is suing HBO and "Real Sports" host Bryant Gumbel for $5 million, claiming the show incorrectly tied him to a shady forgery ring.
"I had an excellent reputation, and, all of a sudden, I lost it all," said Donald Frangipani, an experienced forensic document expert.
His lawsuit, to be filed today in Manhattan federal court, blasts the HBO show for its "grossly irresponsible" and "biased" reporting in a "Real Sports" segment called "Forger's Paradise."
Frangipani was the "authenticator of choice" for the ring, viewers were told.
The HBO show incorrectly reported that Frangipani signed off on "thousands" of fakes for the ring, according to the complaint.
In reality, he looked at fewer than 500 items and declared about 60 as shams, the complaint says. He also contends that nothing he signed off on for the group was ever proved to be phony, because the crooks dealt with real memorabilia as well.
"Don is a victim here of the forgery ring," said his lawyer Salvatore Strazzullo. "HBO was reckless in their reporting. They did no due diligence."
Calls to HBO and Gumbel seeking comment were not returned.
