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4 Colorado men charged in counterfeit Denver Broncos merchandise scheme
DENVER — Four Colorado men were charged Tuesday with racketeering, money laundering and conspiracy for illegally selling counterfeit Denver Broncos NFL sports merchandise at the Mile High Flea Market in Commerce City.
These charges were announced Wednesday by 17th Judicial District Attorney Dave Young. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office of Colorado conducted a joint investigation into the illegal sales after the operation became known in 2014.
The charges allege that Marc Alan Misko, 62, Mitchell Jay Misko, 62, David Brian Henrichsen, 51, and Glenn Ford, 63, operated a business selling counterfeit sports merchandise at the Mile High Flea Market from Nov. 14, 2006 to Jan. 10, 2015. The merchandise was falsely marked and identified as official merchandise for the Denver Broncos and other Denver professional and college teams as well as teams based in other cities throughout the country.
“These significant criminal charges are recognition of the successful criminal investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations special agents,” said David A. Thompson, special agent in charge of HSI in Denver. “This investigation uncovered hundreds of thousands of dollars in money wired to China to finance these counterfeit products and more than 20 shell companies furthering this illegal activity. Not only do these counterfeiting organizations produce inferior merchandise, which is sometimes dangerous, these counterfeits also hurt legitimate businesses in the United States, which can hinder job growth and support criminal organizations around the world.”
HSI special agents seized $700,000 MSRP in counterfeit NFL merchandise from the Miskos’ booth at the flea market Jan. 10, 2015. The charges allege that the operation purchased more than $887,000 in counterfeit merchandise from China beginning in 2006 to late 2014 for sale in the Denver area.
All four defendants are charged with operating a criminal enterprise of trademark counterfeiting in violation of the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act (COCCA). The charges allege hundreds of acts of money laundering, conspiracy and solicitation to commit money laundering dating back to November 2006.
Marc Misko, of Westminster, Colorado is charged with one count of violation of COCCA, two counts of money laundering, conspiracy to commit money laundering, one count of solicitation to commit money laundering and two counts of computer crime.
Mitchell Misko, of Westminster, is charged with one count of violation of COCCA and two counts of money laundering.
Henrichsen, of Wheat Ridge, Colorado, is charged with one count of violation of COCCA, two counts of money laundering, one count of solicitation to commit money laundering and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Ford, of Denver, is charged with one count of violation of COCCA and four counts of money laundering.
Marc Misko, Mitchell Misko and Ford turned themselves in to the Northglenn Police Department and are set for return on bond Aug. 17 in Division E of Adams County District Court. Henrichsen turned himself in to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and is set for return Sept. 6 in Division E. All were released on $20,000 bond.
The filing of a criminal charge is merely a formal accusation that an individual committed a crime under Colorado laws. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
National Intellectual Property Rights Center
Founded in 2000, the Intellectual Property Rights Center — formally codified in the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 — is one of the U.S. government's key weapons in the fight against criminal counterfeiting and piracy. The center uses the expertise of its 23 member agencies to share information, develop initiatives, coordinate enforcement actions, and conduct investigations related to IP theft. Through this strategic interagency partnership, the IPR Center protects the public's health and safety, the U.S. economy and the war fighters. To report IP theft or to learn more about the IPR Center, visit www.IPRCenter.gov.
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