NEW JERSEY – A 25-year-old man who posed as a former New England Patriots player and ordered Super Bowl rings engraved with the name “Brady” before selling them, has been sentenced to three years in US federal prison.

According to a news report from CNN, Scott V Spina Jr from Roseland, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in February to one count of mail fraud, three counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.

The US Attorney’s Office in the Central District of California, said Spina bought a ring and other memorabilia in 2017 from a former player and sold the ring for US$63,000 ($8,883,000 JMD). He then reportedly used the former player’s information to order three “family and friends” rings — smaller versions of the jewelry — with Tom Brady’s last name on them.

According to the CNN report, Spina told the ring maker they were gifts for Brady’s baby. Spina then reportedly told a potential buyer in California, who wired a deposit in three installments, the rings were from Brady’s nephews.

The man agreed to buy the rings for US$81,500 ($11,491,500 JMD), “nearly three times what Spina paid,” but eventually backed out of the deal, due to doubts about Brady having nephews, CNN reports

In November 2017, Spina sold the rings to an auction house for US$100,000 ($14,100,000 JMD), prosecutors said. Three months later, one of the rings was auctioned for US$337,219 ($47,547,879 JMD).

CNN reported that as part of his plea agreement, Spina will pay US$63,000 ($8,883,000 JMD) in restitution to the former player, who was not identified. Prosecutors said Spina “bilked the former player by paying for the ring with at least one bad check.”