Get Our Email Newsletter

Five people charged with trafficking $73M in counterfeit Air Jordans

It’s gotta be the shoes! Except these weren’t THE shoes. Five people have been charged in New York with trafficking in counterfeit Nike Air Jordans, sneakers that, if authentic, would have been worth $73 million, according to the NYPD and Homeland Security Investigations.

The counterfeit sneakers look like real Air Jordans in design and color but lack the logos that are registered trademarks, court records said.

After the fakes arrived at the Port of Newark from China, they were taken to locations in Brooklyn and Queens where the logos were added and then distributed for sale, NYPD and HSI investigators said.

For the last two years the counterfeiting ring has shipped 42 containers full of these generic sneakers that would retail for $190 per pair, court records said.

In the last eight months investigators inspected nearly 27,000 pairs of sneakers before charging Miyuki Suen, Jian Min Huang, Songhua Qu, Kin Lui Chen and Fangrang Qu with counterfeit trafficking conspiracy and trafficking in counterfeit goods, police said.

”These five individuals are alleged to have been a part of a large scale counterfeiting scheme, importing nearly a half million pairs of knock-off Nike sneakers.

- Digital Partner -

These counterfeiting networks can be both detrimental to our economy and threaten our national security, and HSI will continue to take every measure in investigating and dismantling these organizations,” ICE HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Angel M. Melendez said.

Each defendant faces a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison.

“The five defendants in this case allegedly counterfeited over $70 million in fake Nike shoes and sold them to buyers on the U.S. market. I commend our law enforcement partners for helping to bring today’s charges, which send a clear message to would-be counterfeiters: ‘Just don’t do it,'” Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said.   [Source: ABC30 Action News]

Loss Prevention Magazine updates delivered to your inbox

Get the free daily newsletter read by thousands of loss prevention professionals, security, and retail management from the store level to the c-suite.

What's New

Digital Partners

Become a Digital Partner

Violence in the Workplace

Download this 34-page special report from Loss Prevention Magazine about types and frequency of violent incidents, impacts on employees and customers, effectiveness of tools and training, and much more.

Webinars

View All | Sponsor a Webinar

Whitepapers

View All | Submit a Whitepaper

LP Solutions

View All | Submit Your Content

Loss Prevention Media Logo

Stay up-to-date with our free email newsletter

The trusted newsletter for loss prevention professionals, security and retail management. Get the latest news, best practices, technology updates, management tips, career opportunities and more.

No, thank you.

View our privacy policy.