Xiao Cheng Lin, Conspiracy to Import Goods Falsely Classified, New York 2008

BUFFALO, N.Y. – A husband and wife duo from Flushing, N.Y. have been sentenced for their involvement in a massive counterfeit sneaker operation.

Xiao Cheng Lin, 50, was sentenced to one year in prison and a $7,500 fine, while his wife Ling Zen Hu, 51, was sentenced to six months in prison and a $6,000 fine. The defendants will also forfeit $750,000 in cash and other monetary instruments that were seized during a search of their residence in 2007.

The couple was convicted of conspiracy to import goods falsely classified. They imported counterfeit Nike sneakers from China, which were then distributed throughout the United States. The defendants sold the counterfeit products to a co-defendant in New York City, Malik Bazzi, who resold them to consumers.

Law enforcement seized over 310,000 pairs of counterfeit sneakers and $1,000,000 in cash from the sale of the counterfeit products. Twenty-two individuals, including the defendants, were arrested in September 2007 and a total of 22 defendants have been convicted.

The investigation was conducted by Special Agents of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of James C. Spero, Special Agent in Charge.

The sentencing is the culmination of a long and complex investigation. The defendants’ actions demonstrate the scope and severity of the problem of counterfeit goods in the United States.

Xiao Cheng Lin and Ling Zen Hu are just two of the many individuals who have been convicted of crimes related to the importation and sale of counterfeit goods. Their sentencing serves as a reminder of the importance of enforcing laws related to intellectual property and protecting consumers from counterfeit products.

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