CEO’s 78-Month Sentence for Massive Cisco Counterfeit Scheme

TRENTON, N.J. – Onur Aksoy, aka “Ron Aksoy” and “Dave Durden,” 40, of Miami, Florida, has been sentenced to 78 months in prison for running one of the largest operations ever to traffic in fraudulent and counterfeit Cisco networking equipment.

Aksoy pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan on June 5, 2023, to two counts of an indictment charging him with conspiring with others to traffic in counterfeit goods, to commit mail fraud, and to commit wire fraud (Count 1); and mail fraud (Count 4).

“Through an elaborate, years-long scheme, Aksoy created and ran one of the largest counterfeit-trafficking operations ever,” Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna said. “His operation introduced tens of thousands of counterfeit and low-quality devices trafficked from China into the U.S. supply chain, jeopardizing both private-sector and public-sector users, including highly sensitive U.S. military applications like the support platforms of U.S. fighter jets and other military aircraft.

Aksoy sold hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of counterfeit computer networking equipment that ended up in U.S. hospitals, schools, and highly sensitive military and other governmental systems, including platforms supporting sophisticated U.S. fighter jets and military aircraft,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

The investigation and prosecution of this Office and our Department and agency partners now brings Aksoy to justice and holds him accountable for the breathtaking scale of his operation,” said Attorney for the United States Khanna.

Protecting the integrity of the supply chain for everyday consumers, government agencies, and our warfighters remains a top priority for Homeland Security Investigations,” HSI Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang said. “My office and our partners will continue to work diligently to remove counterfeit products that adversely affect public health and safety from the stream of commerce and hold the offenders accountable.”