February 23, 2000
NORWOOD MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO SELLING COUNTERFEIT CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES
Boston, MA... A Norwood man pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to selling counterfeit clothing and accessories.United States Attorney Donald K. Stern and Barry W. Mawn, Special Agent in Charge of the New England Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced today that MILTON KABLIN of Norwood, Massachusetts, pled guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to an information charging him with intentionally trafficking and attempting to traffic in goods, while knowingly using a counterfeit mark on the goods.
KABLIN was charged with selling counterfeit clothing and accessories some of which he manufactured in the basement of his home. KABLIN took plain t-shirts and then using heat transfer sheets, labeled them with well known brand names, such as Nike, Tommy Hilfiger and Fila. KABLIN would iron, fold and store the items in his garage and then sell them each weekend at the Salem Flea Market in Salem, New Hampshire. KABLIN was allegedly manufacturing between 5,000 and 10,000 t-shirts a week. In addition, KABLIN purchased other counterfeit items, receiving weekly shipments, of such items as sunglasses and belts, which were labeled with well known brand names and sold alongside the counterfeit t-shirts.
This case is part of the Intellectual Property Rights Initiative announced by Deputy Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr. in San Jose, California on July 23, 1999. The Initiative is led by the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Customs Service to focus increased investigative and prosecutorial resources on copy right and trademark violations.U.S. Attorney Stern stated: "Illegally trafficking in counterfeit trademarked goods amounts to the theft of intellectual property. I intend to enforce such federal laws designed to protect the public."
Judge Stearns scheduled sentencing for May 22, 2000. KABLIN faces a maximum sentence of 10 years’ incarceration, a $2 million fine, and 3 years’ supervised release.
This case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison D. Burroughs of Stern’s Economic Crime Unit.
Press Contact: Samantha Martin, (617) 748-3139
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