Grimy Times has learned that a pair of Bayside residents have pleaded guilty to importing and selling over 100,000 hazardous and counterfeit children’s toys from China.
Chenglan Hu, 52, and Hua Fei Zhang, 53, admitted to trafficking in hazardous consumer goods in violation of the Consumer Product Safety Act, according to court filings and facts presented at the plea hearings.
The duo and their associates used a series of corporate entities to import and sell toys from China from a storefront and warehouse in Ridgewood, New York, and other locations in Brooklyn, New York and Queens, New York.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell stated, “In a criminal twist on a toy story, the defendants made millions importing dangerous, knock-off toys that put children in harm’s way.”
U.S. Attorney Loretta E. Lynch added, “For eight years, the defendants lined their pockets while putting at risk the health of our children by smuggling dangerous and copyright-infringing toys into the United States.”
The defendants also agreed to forfeit $700,000 and more than 120,000 unsafe children’s toys. The government previously seized three luxury vehicles and six bank accounts, and filed lis pendens against two real properties owned by Zhang in Queens, New York.
HSI focuses its efforts to protect intellectual property, first and foremost, on those counterfeit goods that present health and safety hazards to consumers, said Special Agent in Charge Hayes Jr.
The defendants imported children’s toys with copyright-infringing images and counterfeit trademarks of popular children’s characters, as well as unsafe lead levels, small parts that presented risks of choking or ingestion, easily-accessible battery compartments, and other potential hazards.
The case is a prime example of the importance of protecting children from hazardous and counterfeit goods, said CPSC Chairman Elliot F. Kaye.
RELATED: Fayetteville’s Krol Gets 6 Years for Counterfeit Empire
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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