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Counterfeit Kingpin Caught in Ohio
A New York man was caught red-handed with over 1,300 counterfeit items in Ohio, including designer handbags, sunglasses, and shirts, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Man Zhang, 30, of Woodside, New York, was named in the one-count indictment. Investigators found Zhang with 225 designer handbags, 53 designer wallets, 71 pairs of designer sunglasses, 339 hats, 349 Monster and Ed Hardy tee-shirts, and 209 bottles of designer perfume, each containing counterfeit marks.
The marks on the merchandise were identical to and substantially indistinguishable from marks used on genuine merchandise, and were in use and registered for such goods on the principle register of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The use of such counterfeit marks was likely to cause confusion, mistake or to deceive.
Zhang’s vehicle was stopped in Austintown, Ohio, on March 27, 2013, for a traffic violation. Police officers observed numerous items in plain view inside the vehicle which appeared to be counterfeit merchandise. Zhang was arrested on outstanding state warrants and the vehicle was impounded and inventoried.
If convicted, Zhang’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including his prior criminal record, if any, his role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert W. Kern of the Cleveland U.S. Attorney’s Office, following an investigation by the Cleveland Office of the Department of Homeland Security, Office Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Zhang will have his day in court to defend against these serious charges.
This is a serious case of intellectual property theft, and we will do everything in our power to bring the perpetrator to justice. Zhang’s actions are not only illegal, but they also harm the legitimate businesses and consumers who are affected by his counterfeiting operation.
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Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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