Beau Wattigney, a 30-year-old New Orleans man, has been sentenced to 41 months in prison for his role in a coupon counterfeit ring that used the Silk Road online marketplace, announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell and U.S. Attorney Kenneth Polite Jr.
Wattigney, who used online monikers such as PurpleLotus, GoldenLotus, and CouponKing, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit trademark counterfeiting before U.S. District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle of the Eastern District of Louisiana.
According to the plea agreement, Wattigney admitted to creating and manufacturing fraudulent coupons with the assistance of several co-conspirators and selling over $1 million worth of counterfeit coupons between May 2012 and November 2014. The coupons were designed to look like original print-at-home manufacturers’ coupons by using the companies’ trademarks.
The counterfeit coupons victimized more than 50 United States-based businesses, with Wattigney using the online monikers to sell them on Silk Road, a covert online marketplace largely for illicit goods. The FBI’s Philadelphia Division investigated the case, with assistance from the FBI’s New Orleans Field Office.
Senior Counsel Marie-Flore Johnson and Robert Wallace of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Ginsberg of the Eastern District of Louisiana prosecuted the case.
Judge Lemelle sentenced Wattigney and immediately remanded him into custody. The case highlights the devastating consequences of counterfeiting and the importance of protecting intellectual property.
The guilty verdict and sentencing bring an end to Wattigney’s involvement in the coupon counterfeit ring. The case serves as a reminder to businesses and consumers to be vigilant in protecting against such scams and to report any suspicious activity to the authorities.
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Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Category: White Collar Crime|Cybercrime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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