YOUNGSTOWN -  Federal prosecutors have charged a Girard man accused of bilking sports memorabilia auctioneers out of thousands of dollars through the sale of vintage baseball cards with forged autographs.

Cord Monroe is charged with one count of bank fraud according to a document filed in U.S. District Court.

Investigators say Monroe signed phony autographs on baseball cards that were originally packaged in tobacco products from 1909 to 1911.

The T206 cards, also known as “tobacco cards” are widely collected.

Among the cards allegedly bought by Monroe, AKA David Scott, then sold on auction sites with forged autographs, was one showing right-handed pitcher Edward Victor “Knuckles” Cicotte and infielder William Joseph “Jap” Barbeau, who played for teams in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis.

 According to investigators, two auction sites lost more than $73,000 in transactions with Monroe involving fourteen forged cards.

The U.S. Attorney filed the bank fraud charge as a bill of information, which would give Monroe an opportunity to enter a plea in the case without going through the grand jury process.

The case has been assigned to Magistrate Judge Carmen Henderson.