TYLER, TX – The Department of Justice has served justice on Shiraz Sherali Odhwani, a 54-year-old Carrollton, Texas, man, for his involvement in a massive counterfeiting conspiracy. Odhwani, owner of Turtle Wireless, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $950,000 in restitution by Judge Michael H. Schneider.
The court documents revealed that Odhwani’s Dallas-based company sold counterfeit cellular telephone accessories sourced from China. The operation was so extensive that more than 130,000 counterfeit items were seized from his store and storage space, with an estimated infringement value between $2.5 million and $7 million.
Odhwani pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods on September 9, 2011. Three others were indicted alongside him in May 2011. This case is a testament to the Department of Justice Task Force on Intellectual Property’s (IP Task Force) relentless pursuit of intellectual property crime.
Attorney General Eric Holder established the IP Task Force to combat the rising tide of domestic and international intellectual property violations, safeguard consumer health and safety, and protect America’s economic security. The task force aims to enhance intellectual property rights through a combination of criminal and civil enforcement, closer law enforcement collaboration, and intensified international efforts.
The investigation into Odhwani was spearheaded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with support from the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department, Longview Police Department, Baytown Police Department, and Austin Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Coan prosecuted the case.
For more information on the IP Task Force, visit www.justice.gov/dag/iptaskforce.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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