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Punjabi Brothers Slammed for Selling Fake iPhone Parts
Two Peabody men were charged today in U.S. District Court in Boston with trafficking in counterfeit iPhone components at Accessory Unlimited, a store in Square One Mall in Saugus.
Micky Punjabi, 36, and his brother Hitesh Punjabi, 33, of Peabody, were charged with conspiring to traffick in counterfeit goods, specifically iPhone components that bore Apple trademarks but were not genuine Apple products. Micky Punjabi, who owned the store, was also charged with trafficking in the counterfeit Apple components.
According to court documents, from approximately December 2010 to February 2015, the Punjabis sold counterfeit Apple merchandise at Accessory Unlimited. Micky Punjabi also repaired genuine iPhones using counterfeit components allegedly purchased from sources outside the United States and from a supplier within the United States. Micky Punjabi knew that the goods he was selling were counterfeit, but sold and attempted to sell thousands of pieces of counterfeit merchandise.
The charge of conspiring to traffick in counterfeit goods provides a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of trafficking in counterfeit goods provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $2 million. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Harman Burkart of Ortiz’s Cybercrime Unit.
The details contained in the Information are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Accessory Unlimited, a store in Square One Mall in Saugus, was allegedly used by the Punjabis to sell counterfeit Apple products. The store has since closed down, but the impact of the Punjabis’ actions is still being felt by the community.
The investigation into the Punjabis is ongoing, and it is unclear what motivated the brothers to engage in such a large-scale operation. However, one thing is certain: the sale of counterfeit goods is a serious crime that can have severe consequences.
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Category: Cybercrime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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