News Releases and Statements

HSI special agents arrested and charged Brett Strothers, 32, of Egg Harbor Township, and his brother, Evan Strothers, 28, of Mays Landing, with conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods.

Martin Paul Bean, III, 63, of Boca Raton, Fla., was ordered to serve 24 months in federal custody after pleading guilty in February to conspiracy to commit a number of federal offenses, including wire fraud, mail fraud, selling unapproved drugs, selling misbranded drugs and importing merchandise contrary to law.

Jose Eduardo Jeronimo was sentenced Monday to 2 1/2 years in prison for selling counterfeit video and music DVDs and CDs, following a probe by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in coordination with Alabama state police and the Elmore County Sheriff's Department seized approximately 60,000 counterfeit items from an Alabama flea market Saturday worth a total manufacturer's suggested retail price of more than $2.04 million.

Raja Zafar Iqbal, 41, and his brother, Javed Iqbal Raja, 50, both naturalized U.S. citizens from Pakistan, and Muhammad Asif Raza, 33, a citizen and national of Pakistan, are charged with trafficking in counterfeit goods or services.

GuildMaster Inc., based in Springfield, Mo., and represented in court by its company president, Stephen Crowder, must forfeit 5,585 lamps that were seized by CBP, valued at $1,831,918, and serve a five-year term of probation.

Kil Jun Lee was sentenced Monday to 30 months in federal prison for smuggling nearly 40,000 counterfeit erectile dysfunction pills that were discovered in a golf bag and other luggage when he entered the United States at Los Angeles International Airport last year.

HSI special agents and partner law enforcement officers targeted 23 retailers of counterfeit and pirated goods at the Arecibo flea market.

Restitution will be paid to 20 car manufacturers whose trademarks Xian violated. He is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 22.

This corporation was actually a front company established by law enforcement to act as an importer.

Seven arrests have been made in a coordinated operation spanning several states, related to the unsealing of a 17-count indictment and criminal complaint involving Gallant Pharma Itnl Inc., an allegedly unlicensed company that is accused of distributing misbranded prescription drugs from its HQ in Crystal City and an office in Springfield.

The 11-count indictment, was unsealed Aug. 6 upon the arrest of Jamal Khattab, 49, of Katy, and Fayez Al-Jabri, 45, of Chicago, Ill. Khattab will appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy Johnson in Houston Wednesday.

Shem Michahdavid Weissman, aka Brody Gold, 24, pleaded guilty in February to one count of trafficking in counterfeit goods.

GuildMaster, Inc., of Springfield, Mo., pleaded guilty to the felony offense of trafficking in goods with counterfeit marks. Thousands of lamps imported by GuildMaster from China bore counterfeit Underwriters Laboratories (UL) labels.

An HSI special agent began investigating Tyrone Pierre Lewis, 29, in April 2012 for trafficking in counterfeit goods. Since then, HSI special agents warned Lewis on three occasions to cease and desist from importing counterfeit products.

ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and several law enforcement agencies in Europe, coordinated by the European Police Office (Europol), announced the seizure of 328 domain names in two related operations Wednesday. The seized domain names were associated with websites illegally selling counterfeit merchandise online.

The operator of a local flea market, Jack Frison Sr., turned himself in to authorities Thursday after a federal grand jury indicted him on multiple charges relating to his alleged involvement in selling counterfeit goods.

Michael Little admitted to buying various pieces of generic glasswork and artwork over the Internet, then falsely claimed to buyers on eBay that they were authentic works by famed Northwest artist Dale Chihuly. Court records say Little grossed at least $40,000 through his scam that ran between 2011 and April 2013.

Jeffrey Steven Telsey was sentenced Thursday for his role in a scheme to traffic counterfeit razor blades to a Michigan retailer. In January 2008, HSI special agents learned that counterfeit Gillette Mach3 razor refills were being distributed through Meijer Stores. Meijer Stores purchased the razors from JCA Enterprises, which was owned by Telsey.

Richard McNeal of Randallstown, Md., pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to felony charges of trafficking in counterfeit goods. He sold thousands of dollars worth of fraudulent tickets to Super Bowl XVII in February 2013 and the Allstate BCS National Championship in January 2012.

"Ryan Breen pleaded guilty Wednesday to trafficking in counterfeit goods involving the sale of unauthorized merchandise from the popular FX Network television series ""Sons of Anarchy."" The plea follows an investigation by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). "

Jason Jordan, a 34-year-old Washington state man who sold counterfeit air bags over the Internet, pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods. Jordan admitted in a plea agreement that from at least July 2010 to August 2012, he imported counterfeit Ford, GM, Honda, and Toyota air bags from sources in China.

With the NBA Finals and Stanley Cup Playoffs in full swing, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) warned the public Tuesday to beware of purchasing counterfeit sports apparel and tickets to playoff games.

Xiang Li, a Chinese national, was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison June 11 for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and criminal copyright infringement. Li operated a website used to distribute more than $100 million worth of pirated software around the world.

Naveed Sheikh was sentenced to 87 months in prison for conspiring to and infringing copyrights by illegally reproducing and distributing more than 1,000 copyrighted commercial software programs with a total value of more than $4 million.