ICE News Items

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement News Releases

Maryland man pleads guilty to copyright infringement

WASHINGTON, DC – A Maryland man charged with illegally reproducing and selling feature motion pictures pleaded guilty Friday to federal copyright infringement charges in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

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Indonesian man pleads guilty to selling illegally modified gaming devices

CLEVELAND, Oh. – An Indonesian man pleaded guilty Wednesday to violating digital copyright laws by manufacturing and selling various modification chips used in popular gaming consoles. The conviction follows an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

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4 Fresno residents sentenced for selling pirated DVDs and CDs

FRESNO, Calif. — Four Fresno residents have been sentenced to prison time for trafficking in counterfeit movie and music disks following a probe by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

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Upstate New York man sentenced for importing counterfeit pharmaceuticals

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – An upstate New York man was sentenced Wednesday to three years probation and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $13,377 for importing counterfeit Viagra and Cialis tablets into the United States. This investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

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More than $1.5M in proceeds seized from online sale of counterfeit sports apparel manufactured in China

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of Justice seized more than $1.5 million in proceeds from the distribution of counterfeit sports apparel and jerseys, following an investigation into the sale of counterfeit goods on commercial websites conducted by the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, which is led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

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Member of Internet piracy group 'IMAGiNE' pleads guilty to copyright infringement conspiracy

NORFOLK, Va. — A California man pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiring to willfully reproduce and distribute tens of thousands of infringing copies of copyrighted works without permission, including infringing copies of movies before they were commercially released on DVD.

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San Jose store owner indicted for trafficking in counterfeit designer goods

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The owner of a local boutique that sells women's clothing and handbags was arrested Tuesday on federal charges for trafficking in counterfeit goods, following a probe by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

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New Jersey woman sentenced for selling counterfeit cosmetics

PHILADELPHIA – A New Jersey woman was sentenced in federal court Tuesday on charges of trafficking in counterfeit M·A·C cosmetics and accessory items. The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

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Federal law enforcement agencies join movie industry to unveil new anti-piracy warning

Federal law enforcement agencies join movie industry to unveil new anti-piracy warning

WASHINGTON — The National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center), led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), has joined together with the FBI and six major American movie studios to launch an updated anti-piracy warning to be displayed on new releases. The anti-piracy warning will begin appearing in selected DVDs and Blu-rays released this week. The six movie studios, all members of the Motion Picture Association of America, have agreed to utilize the anti-piracy warning.

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HSI seizes more than $47 million in counterfeit merchandise at Patapsco Flea Market

HSI seizes more than $47 million in counterfeit merchandise at Patapsco Flea Market

BALTIMORE – The enforcement action at the end of last month at the Patapsco Flea Market in Baltimore conducted by special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) resulted in the agency's largest counterfeit seizure at a flea market.

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Los Angeles merchant charged with selling counterfeit designer accessories

Los Angeles merchant charged with selling counterfeit designer accessories

LOS ANGELES – A vendor in the Los Angeles fashion district who operates two booths that sell designer handbags, jewelry and other accessories is expected to be arraigned in federal court Friday afternoon following her indictment for trafficking in counterfeit goods.

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2 Illinois women plead guilty to selling counterfeit goods

More than $1 million fake brand name purses, wallets, sunglasses sold; MSRP of more than $1.6 million.

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HSI Fresno seizes nearly $1 million worth of bootleg movies and music in probe targeting counterfeiting ring

FRESNO, Calif. — Two Mexican nationals made their initial appearance in federal court Wednesday on charges of trafficking in counterfeit goods after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents executed a search warrant at a rural Fresno-area home, seizing more than 70,000 pirated copies of music and movies.

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5 indicted for allegedly selling counterfeit goods

BALTIMORE – A federal grand jury has indicted five individuals related to a conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods, following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

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2 Israeli men sentenced for smuggling counterfeit and misbranded pharmaceuticals into the United States

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Two Israeli citizens pleaded guilty Monday and were sentenced for smuggling counterfeit and misbranded pharmaceuticals into the United States, including the erectile dysfunction drug marketed in the United States as Cialis®. The sentences resulted from an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Office of Criminal Investigation for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, with essential assistance from the Israeli National Police.

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ICE seizes nearly $900,000 in counterfeit merchandise at El Paso flea market

ICE seizes nearly $900,000 in counterfeit merchandise at El Paso flea market

EL PASO, Texas – Special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Sunday seized nearly 20,000 counterfeit items with a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of nearly $900,000, at the local Fox Plaza flea market.

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More than $896,000 in proceeds seized from the online sale of counterfeit sports apparel manufactured in China

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) led National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) and the Department of Justice seized more than $896,000 in proceeds from the distribution of counterfeit sports apparel as the result of an investigation into the sale of counterfeit goods on commercial websites. The investigation also resulted in the seizure of seven domain names engaged in the sale of counterfeit goods. The funds were seized from interbank accounts and three PayPal accounts.

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Lakewood man charged with trafficking counterfeit computer software

Lakewood man charged with trafficking counterfeit computer software

LOS ANGELES — A Lakewood man is expected to make his initial appearance in federal court Monday morning following his arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents for importing more than 1,000 counterfeit Microsoft Office CD-ROMs and selling them to unsuspecting customers over the Intern

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Tampa woman sentenced to 2 years for trafficking in counterfeit goods

Tampa woman sentenced to 2 years for trafficking in counterfeit goods

TAMPA, Fla. – A Tampa woman was sentenced Thursday to two years in prison for trafficking in counterfeit goods, following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

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