News Releases and Statements

Federal officials teamed with the National Football League (NFL) Thursday to announce the record-breaking results of a nationwide law enforcement effort aimed at combatting counterfeit sports merchandise.

John C. Gaglione Jr., 49, must also pay a monetary judgment of $365,265, the proceeds of his criminal conduct, and $180,000 in restitution.

A Pennsylvania man, Hao Yang, pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods, including counterfeit military items.

Two brothers, who operate six kiosks at a local mall, pleaded guilty Wednesday to trafficking in counterfeit goods.

Mohammad Jamal Rashid, 45, a U.S. permanent resident originally from Pakistan and residing in Houston, admitted he conspired to illegally import counterfeit and misbranded Viagra and Cialis pharmaceutical drugs to his home under a false name and with a false declaration waybill.

ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in coordination with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department seized thousands of counterfeit items worth a total manufacturer's suggested retail price of more than $1.8 million from Legends Clothing Store on Bell Road Tuesday.

Josue Rivera operated a retail merchandise business called Main Source, located in Springfield. Between April 11 and June 2012, Rivera stocked and sold counterfeit merchandise, including clothing, footwear and accessories.

ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) seized $723,377 in fake sports merchandise after a three-month enforcement initiative targeting counterfeit National Hockey League gear and other sportswear leading up to the 2014 NHL Winter Classic events.

Within the past two months, special agents with ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) have locally seized almost 9,000 items of counterfeit merchandise valued at nearly $3.5 million during 'Operation Holiday Hoax.'

According to court documents, from November 2009 through February 2012, the defendants ran one of the largest counterfeit goods smuggling and distribution conspiracies ever charged by the U.S. Department of Justice.

The 706 domain names seized were set up to dupe consumers into unknowingly buying counterfeit goods as part of the holiday shopping season. The operations were coordinated by the HSI-led National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) in Washington, D.C.

Little admitted to buying pieces of generic glasswork and artwork over the Internet, then offering them for sale on eBay, falsely claiming they were authentic Chihuly works.

A Texas honey broker was sentenced Thursday to three years in federal prison for illegally brokering the sale of hundreds of container loads of Chinese-origin honey, which was misrepresented as originating from India or Malaysia, to avoid anti-dumping duties when it entered the United States.

Two sales representatives for Gallant Pharma International, Inc., pleaded guilty Thursday to selling misbranded and non-FDA-approved intravenous chemotherapy drugs and injectable cosmetic drugs and devices.

Fake auto parts, including counterfeit brake pads, tires, suspension components, steering linkages and other accessories, are also universally being distributed and sold to consumers in greater volumes, officials warned.

The defendants - Ali Chahine, 43, Imad Elcheikhali, 48, Wassim Faisal, aka Michael Saissan, 44, Haissam Saleh, 28, Mehdi Saleh, 37, and Kassem Tohme, 40 - are charged with trademark counterfeiting and conspiracy.

Charles Daniel Stephens pleaded guilty in federal court Friday to criminal copyright infringement, admitting he sold pirated computer software online.

Glenda Sue Morgan pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to trafficking in counterfeit goods.

A southwestern Missouri man, Matthew Cerullo, pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to multiple charges related to a scheme to sell thousands of counterfeit DVDs via the Internet.

Boi Quoc Vo, 30, of Anaheim, pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging him with one count of trafficking in counterfeit documentation.

With Halloween rapidly approaching, federal officials are warning the public about the dangers associated with counterfeit decorative contact lenses. Decorative and colored lenses are becoming increasingly popular, especially around this time of year.

A California woman was sentenced Monday to three years in federal prison for illegally transporting hundreds of container loads of Chinese-origin honey through the Chicago area after it unlawfully entered the country.

Mohammad Jamal Rashid, 45, a U.S. permanent resident, was indicted Sept. 12. The sealed indictment was unsealed Sept. 24 after his arrest by HSI special agents.

According to court documents, Davis Norman III, 36, of New Orleans, duplicated and sold copyrighted motion pictures and music using a home DVD/CD burner. Norman then sold illegal copies for $10 from his car in a parking lot located along North Claiborne Avenue in New Orleans.