Bao Doan, Smuggling Counterfeit Goods, Virginia 2022

Alexandria, Va. – In a shocking turn of events, a federal jury has found Falls Church resident Bao Doan, 32, guilty of conspiring to traffic in counterfeit Apple and Samsung products and smuggling. The verdict was delivered on June 16, after a three-day trial.

According to evidence presented at the trial and sentencing, Doan operated the conspiracy from his store, called iFaifo, in Falls Church. Over the course of approximately two years, Doan received hundreds of shipments containing counterfeit Apple and Samsung products from co-conspirators in China and Hong Kong, and then distributed these items wholesale to stores in the area.

Despite receiving several warnings to cease and desist from both U.S. Customs and Border Protection and representatives from Apple and Samsung since October 2014, Doan failed to heed these warnings. Instead, he developed new ways to evade customs, such as by having counterfeit goods sent to his home address under his mother’s name.

U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III, has sentenced Doan to one year and one day in prison for his crimes. In addition to the prison sentence, Doan will also have to forfeit over $115,000 in proceeds and pay Apple and Samsung over $20,000 in restitution.

The investigation into Doan’s illegal activities was led by the Department of U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, with the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kellen S. Dwyer and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Flowers of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:16-cr-56.

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