KENT, WA – Guoxiong Xian, 34, of Kent, Washington, is facing serious time after admitting today to flooding the market with over half a million dollars worth of fake luxury car accessories. Xian pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Seattle to trafficking in counterfeit goods, a scheme that bilked automakers and unsuspecting buyers for nearly five years.
According to court documents, Xian operated 3 Ways LLC, an online auto parts retailer, as a front for his counterfeit operation. He wasn’t messing with engines or brakes – this was purely cosmetic. We’re talking license plate frames, fake emblems, and other decorative bling for high-end rides like BMWs, Mercedes, and Toyotas. The feds say it wasn’t about safety, it was about profit, pure and simple.
From November 2008 through April 2013, Xian raked in approximately $538,000 selling these bogus accessories. The goods weren’t made in America; they were cheap imports from China, slapped with trademarks Xian had no right to use. In January 2013, the scheme unraveled when Xian sold a batch of the counterfeit goods to an undercover agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). He knew exactly what he was selling – fakes – but didn’t care.
While facing a maximum of ten years behind bars and a $2 million fine, prosecutors have offered a recommendation of no more than 18 months in prison. However, Xian isn’t just facing jail time; he’s on the hook to repay the companies he defrauded. The restitution list reads like a who’s who of the auto industry: BMW/Mini – $256,066; Mercedes-Benz – $109,620; Nissan/Infiniti – $13,361; Toyota/Lexus/Scion – $35,304; Suzuki – $26,054; Volkswagen/Audi – $20,434; Honda – $8,433 Yamaha – $6,218.03; Dodge/Chrysler/ Jeep – $13,326; General Motors Corporation- $20,075, plus ten other car companies owed smaller amounts.
U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan announced the guilty plea, a win for HSI and Assistant United States Attorney Norman Barbosa, who prosecuted the case. This isn’t just about vanity plates; it’s about protecting legitimate businesses and cracking down on the flow of counterfeit goods. Xian is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour on November 22, 2013. Expect a full accounting of the damage then.
Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the sentencing. This should serve as a warning: if you’re thinking about peddling fake goods, the feds are watching. And they’re not buying what you’re selling.
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Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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