Brooklyn Wholesaler Admits to Flooding Military with Chinese Fakes

PROVIDENCE, RI – Ramin Kohanbash, 49, of Brooklyn, New York, isn’t sending care packages to the troops. He’s sending fraud. The clothing and goods wholesaler pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Providence to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and trafficking in counterfeit goods, admitting to a scheme that pumped over twenty million dollars worth of Chinese-made fakes into the hands of the U.S. military, government purchasers, and their suppliers. This wasn’t about a few knock-off t-shirts; it was a calculated effort to profit by potentially endangering those serving our country.

The scheme wasn’t limited to simple apparel. Kohanbash and his co-conspirators targeted critical military gear, including 200 parkas intended for U.S. Air Force personnel in Afghanistan. These weren’t just cheap imitations; they were falsely marketed as genuine Multicam®, a specialized fabric designed to offer near-infrared camouflage, crucial for evading night-vision detection. But the fakes offered no such protection. Even more damning, counterfeit hoods intended for military and law enforcement were labeled as “permanently flame resistant,” a blatant lie that could have fatal consequences for those relying on the gear.

“Our men and women in uniform confront danger every day to defend this nation and its values,” stated U.S. Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, with a pointed emphasis. “The uniforms they wear and the gear they carry are meant to protect them as they carry out their mission, not to put them in harm’s way. This case should serve notice that suppliers who do business with the military must comply with the law, or they will be held to account.” The sentiment rings hollow when considering the sheer scale of the deception, but the message is clear: rip off the military, and you’ll face federal charges.

Leigh-Alistair Barzey, Special Agent in Charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s (DCIS) Northeast Field Office, highlighted the collaborative effort that brought Kohanbash to justice. “Individuals and companies that sell counterfeit goods to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) endanger the safety and effectiveness of our military,” Barzey said. The investigation involved DCIS, the General Services Administration OIG, Army CID, Air Force OSI, and Homeland Security Investigations – a clear indication of the seriousness with which federal agencies are treating this type of fraud.

Kohanbash’s role wasn’t passive. He admitted to actively participating in the creation of the deception, approving photographs, descriptions, and labels designed to make the counterfeit products appear legitimate. He slapped on U.S. brand names and trademarks onto the Chinese imports, then went a step further, providing false certification letters claiming the goods were manufactured in the U.S. to circumvent The Berry Amendment and the Trade Agreements Act – laws requiring military goods to be domestically sourced. This wasn’t a mistake; it was a deliberate attempt to defraud the government.

The feds aren’t just after a jail sentence. Kohanbash now faces forfeiture of twenty million dollars, representing the profits from the scheme, as well as the seizure of the counterfeit goods themselves. The guilty plea, announced by Weisman, Barzey, and Special Agent in Charge Luis A. Hernandez of the General Services Administration OIG, serves as a warning. While the damage is done, the Department of Justice is sending a message: when it comes to supplying our troops, authenticity isn’t just a preference, it’s a matter of life and death.

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