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Media Inquiries
For media inquiries and breaking news, please email IPR Center Public Affairs at IPRCenterMedia@hsi.dhs.gov.
Recent News
Body Armor Company Owner Sentenced to Five Years in Prison
CLEVELAND – Vall Iliev, 70, of Stow, Ohio, has been sentenced to 63 months (5.25 years) in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Donald C. Nugent after he pleaded guilty in March to smuggling foreign-made body armor and then selling it to law enforcement agencies and other members of the public as legitimate, domestically-made certified products. Iliev was additionally ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment. Judge Nugent also ordered him to pay approximately $5.2 million in restitution.
Stow businessman pleads guilty to selling smuggled knock-off body armor from China
Vall Iliev must pay back $32.4 million for selling bogus body armor to the Akron Police Department to outfit its SWAT officers. He will be sentenced July 8.
Ohio Man Charged with Smuggling Body Armor from China to Sell to Law Enforcement Customers as American Made
CLEVELAND – Vall Iliev, 69, of Stow, Ohio, has been charged in a three-count information with smuggling foreign-made body armor and then selling it to law enforcement agencies and others, as legitimate, domestically-made certified products. From around 2017 to October 2023, the defendant allegedly imported body armor from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and sold it under claims of being made in the United States and bearing a falsified trademarked label. Body armor is commonly used by those in law enforcement and other agencies for protection from ballistic threats to the torso area.
Success Stories
Pro Network - Counterfeit Goods and Wire Fraud
On July 8, 2022 Onur "Roy" Aksoy, was indicted by a federal Grand Jury in the District of New Jersey for one count of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods and to commit mail and wire fraud; three counts of mail fraud; four counts of wire fraud; and three counts of trafficking in counterfeit goods in running a large-scale operation to traffic in fraudulent and counterfeit Cisco networking equipment.
Digital Millennium - Copyright Act and Wire Fraud
In May 2018, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) initiated a criminal investigation into TEAM XECUTER (TX), a financially motivated cyber-criminal organization (CO).
Operation Chain Reaction (OCR) - Counterfeit Goods and Wire Fraud
On October 20, 2022, Terry ROE, the third and final coconspirator in a large counterfeit military uniforms scheme, was sentenced in the District of Rhode Island to 24-months confinement and 3-years supervised release after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods and to commit wire fraud.
FIFA World Cup - Live Streaming Sites Seized
As part of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) Digital Piracy Initiative, "In Our Sites," Special Agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore seized a total of 71 separate internet domains between December 9 and 18, 2022 for live streaming World Cup matches, an infringement of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) copyrights.
Photos and Video
Operation Team Player
The IPR Center’s Operation Team Player is a year-round effort to catch people who try to pass off counterfeit sports merchandise, apparel, collectibles, memorabilia and even tickets. The IPR Center works with law enforcement and industry partners to intercept jerseys, hats, blankets, T-shirts, championship rings and a wide range of other gear in a global effort to protect people just like you.
World Intellectual Property Day 2022
The National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center), in conjunction with Michigan State University’s Center for Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection (A-CAPP), hosted a roundtable discussion with youth entrepreneurs and Sean Williams, Co-Founder of Detroit -vs- Everyone to discuss brand protection to help creatives protect their business against intellectual property (IP) theft in support of World Intellectual Property Day 2022. This year’s theme focuses on young entrepreneurs and is titled, IP and Youth: Innovating for a Better Future.
IP Protect: An Outreach Initiative Supporting Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
On April 26, 2021, World Intellectual Property Day, the IPR Center in partnership with Michigan State University’s Center for Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection (A-CAPP), U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the Better Business Bureau announced the launch of “IP Protect.” This joint initiative provides resources – free of charge – to aid small to medium-sized enterprises in protecting themselves against IP theft, fraud and cyber security awareness.
Operation Intangibles