VANCOUVER, WA – Vitaliy Yaremkiv, 25, of Vancouver, Washington, is facing serious federal charges after allegedly flooding the market with over 900 counterfeit vehicle airbags. The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced the four-count indictment earlier this week, accusing Yaremkiv of knowingly endangering drivers for profit.
According to the indictment, Yaremkiv operated “Vital Auto Parts and Sales” out of his home, importing the fraudulent airbags from China and other sources. He then allegedly sold these defective parts online, specifically through eBay, falsely representing them as genuine Honda, Subaru, and Toyota airbags. The scheme netted Yaremkiv $137,243, with individual Honda airbags listed for just $110.
“Counterfeit airbags shred the safety systems built into our cars, which could cause catastrophic results,” warned U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. “Counterfeit airbags may fail to deploy in crashes, or deploy in a ball of fire.” Investigators fear many of these dangerous parts ended up installed by unsuspecting independent garages, believing they were providing legitimate safety equipment to their customers.
The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) uncovered the operation. Brad Bench, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Seattle, emphasized the extreme danger posed by these counterfeit parts: “Counterfeit air bags are untested, unregulated, and extremely unsafe.” He urged consumers to rely on authorized dealers and repair professionals for airbag replacements. FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Carlos L. Mojica added, “Every day, people entrust their lives to safety devices…Counterfeit devices do not carry that same guarantee.”
Yaremkiv was arrested on April 2, 2013, and faces a detention hearing today at 3:15 PM in U.S. District Court in Tacoma. If convicted on all counts, he could receive up to ten years in prison and a $2 million fine. Trial is scheduled for May 28, 2013, before U.S. District Judge Ronald B. Leighton. Assistant United States Attorney Norman Barbosa is prosecuting the case.
Consumers concerned about counterfeit airbags can find more information at http://www.safercar.gov/. It’s crucial to remember that the charges against Yaremkiv are allegations at this time, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty. But the potential consequences of this alleged scheme – lives lost or permanently altered – are anything but theoretical.
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Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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