Kent man pleads guilty to importing, selling more than $500,000 in counterfeit luxury vehicle parts, accessories
A Kent man who sold more than $500,000 in counterfeit luxury vehicle parts and accessories pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to trafficking in counterfeit goods, announced U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan.
Guoxiong Xian, 34, faces up to 10 years in prison and a $2 million fine when sentenced by U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour on Nov. 22.
According to the plea agreement signed today, Xian owns 3 Ways LLC, a company selling auto parts over the Internet. Xian primarily sold automobile accessories such as license plate frames, marque license plates, automobile logos and other decorative items for high-end automobiles.
The automobile accessories Xian sold did not impact the operational characteristics of any automobiles. In his plea agreement Xian admits he imported the parts from China and that they were counterfeit parts bearing trademarks that belong to companies such as BMW, Mercedes, Toyota, Nissan and others.
From November 2008, through April 2013, Xian sold approximately $538,000 worth of counterfeit automobile accessories. In January 2013, Xian sold various counterfeit car accessories to an undercover agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). He sold them knowing they were marked with counterfeit trademarks.
Prosecutors have agreed to recommend a sentence of no more than 18 months in prison.
Xian has agreed to make restitution to the following companies: BMW/Mini – $256,066; Mercedes-Benz – $109,620; Nissan/Infiniti – $13,361; Toyota/Lexus/Scion – $35,304; Suzuki – $26,054; Volkswagen/Audi – $20,434; Honda – $8,433 Yamaha – $6,218.03; Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep – $13,326; General Motors Corporation- $20,075.
Ten other car companies are owed amounts less than $6,000.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Norman Barbosa.
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