Counterfeit N95 Masks Tainted Sales: West Linn Man Guilty of Conspiracy
A scheme to sell fake face masks during the pandemic has landed a West Linn man in hot water. Jiang Yu, 70, pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to sell $2.5 million in counterfeit N95 masks.
The scheme began in May 2020 when Yu and his co-conspirators started importing and selling fake N95 masks with counterfeit marks. They used social media to market and sell the masks, and even created fake certificates of authenticity when questioned by customers.
The counterfeit masks were sold to third-party companies, many of whom resold them to healthcare providers. Yu and his co-conspirators made off with at least $2.5 million in sales.
On October 10, 2023, Yu was charged with conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, a $2 million fine, and three years of supervised release.
As part of his plea agreement, Yu must pay restitution in full as recommended by the government and ordered by the court. He must also forfeit nearly 600,000 counterfeit masks and all proceeds of his crimes, including a 2004 Lamborghini Gallardo, a Mercedes SUV, and more than $25,000 in cash.
The case was investigated by the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Quinn P. Harrington, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Yu will be sentenced on May 21, 2024, before U.S. District Court Judge Michael W. Mosman. Anyone with information about counterfeiting or other intellectual property rights violations is encouraged to submit a tip to the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) by visiting www.iprcenter.gov/report.
Related Federal Cases
- Diana Petrovic, Drug Trafficking, D. Oregon, 2023 · Idaho
- William D. Smith, Passing Counterfeit Currency, Erie PA, 2012 · Pennsylvania
- Peter Igwacho, Drug Trafficking, Oregon 2022 · Massachusetts
- Dimitrius Nicholai Pryce, Drug Trafficking, Oregon, 2022 · Massachusetts
- Kimberly Aralene Wells, Drug Distribution and Conspiracy, Oregon, 2021 · North Carolina
Key Facts
- State: Oregon
- Category: Cybercrime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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