Additional $1.5 Million Seized from Chinese Sellers of Counterfeit Jerseys
The Department of Justice seized more than $1.5 million in proceeds from the distribution of counterfeit sports apparel and jerseys, reported Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE said the seizures were pursuant to an investigation of Chinese sales of counterfeit profession and sports apparel, in which ICE announced the seizure of a further $896,000 in April 2012.
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(ICE said the seizures are the latest result of “Operation In Our Sites,” a law enforcement initiative targeting online retailers of a diverse array of counterfeit goods, including sports equipment, shoes, handbags, athletic apparel, sunglasses and DVD boxed sets. To date, 761 domain names of websites used in the sale and distribution of counterfeit goods and illegal copyrighted works have been seized as a result of the initiative.)
$896K Seized from Same Chinese Operation in April
Last month, more than $896,000 in proceeds from the sale of counterfeit sports apparel on commercial websites by individuals based in China was seized as part of Operation In Our Sites. ICE said that investigation by federal law enforcement officers revealed that subjects whose domain names had been seized in a November 2010 In Our Sites operation continued to sell counterfeit goods using new domain names. In particular, ICE alleges that the individuals, based in China, sold counterfeit professional and collegiate sports apparel, primarily counterfeit sports jerseys.
According to ICE, Law enforcement officers made numerous undercover purchases from the websites associated with the new domain names. After the goods were confirmed to be counterfeit or infringing, seizure warrants for three domain names used to sell the infringing goods were obtained from a U.S. magistrate judge in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Further $1.5 Million Seized from Interbank Accounts Held in U.S.
ICE said the individuals conducted sales and processed payments for the counterfeit goods using money service business accounts and then wired their proceeds to bank accounts at a Chinese bank. Pursuant to warrants issued by a U.S. district judge, law enforcement officers seized $1,455,438.72 in proceeds that had been transferred from the money service business accounts to various bank accounts in China. The funds were seized from correspondent, or interbank, accounts held by the Chinese bank in the U.S. Pursuant to additional seizure warrants issued by a U.S. magistrate judge, law enforcement officers also seized $94,730.12 in funds remaining in six money service business accounts used by the subjects.
(See ITT's Online Archives 12041205 for summary of April seizure of $896K in same investigation.)