A fifth Valley resident has pleaded guilty to his role in what investigators say is the biggest case of domestic fraud in the history of the online auction site Ebay.

Assistant Mahoning County Prosecutor Martin Desmond tells 21 News 37-year-old Daniel Marino of Austinown pleaded guilty on Tuesday to engaging in corrupt activity.

He's been fined $4,000 and placed on six months house arrest.

Marino and four men who pleaded guilty earlier are described by Desmond as small players in an alleged enterprise involving phony autographs on sports memorabilia that cheated 25,000 people out of more than $2-million.

Daniel Martini of Girard, who operated the former Martini Burger Bar, pleaded guilty in September to money laundering.

James Serenko of Youngstown, Jason Lenzi of Columbiana, and Shawn Pelo of Warren, all pleaded guilty to engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity. Those four men will be sentenced later.

Desmond says those who have plead guilty will have been placed on probation and are cooperating with the investigation which may involve other people, including a woman and her son who are suspected of masterminding the alleged fraud.

Those involved in the alleged scheme would obtain footballs, posters, sports cards and other sports memorabilia that had been forged with the names of professional athletes.

Investigators say that certificates of authenticity were also forged to accompany the memorabilia, which would be sold on Ebay.

The money made from the sales was allegedly laundered through bank accounts belonging to other people.