Columbus Woman Convicted of Trafficking in Counterfeit Goods

United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Christine L. Parry, age 62, of Columbus, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 16, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for trafficking in counterfeit goods. United States District Court Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Parry to time already served and a $12,000 fine. Parry was also ordered to pay an additional $1,935 in restitution to two victims.

On July 26, 2021, Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) agents at a FedEx facility in Anchorage, Alaska, inspected goods arriving from China. The CBP agents discovered a package addressed to Parry in Columbus. The package contained counterfeit goods, including imitation Birkenstock sandals, Ray Ban sunglasses, Chanel earrings, Louis Vuitton bags, and Louis Vuitton shoes. Records obtained from shipping companies, such as FedEx and DHL, showed numerous deliveries of packages from China and Taiwan to Parry.

Information obtained from Facebook revealed that Parry had been operating an online store named “Bugaboo Boutique,” at least since April 2019, and continuing to August 2022, which sold numerous counterfeit goods just like the counterfeit goods seized by CBP on July 26, 2021.

HSI agents obtained search warrants for Facebook accounts associated with Parry and the Bugaboo Boutique online store. The records revealed that Parry knowingly sold counterfeit goods through their online store. The counterfeit goods were described using words such as “inspired by” name brand goods. The counterfeit goods were described as virtually identical to the name brand goods but sold at a more affordable price because they were sourced through a different manufacturer. The counterfeit goods included items such as clothing, footwear, purses, bags, wallets, tumblers, headphones, and sports apparel which had counterfeit marks identical to, or substantially indistinguishable from, marks used by many name brand companies which were in use and registered for goods on the principal register of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

A search warrant was obtained for the Parry’s residence and executed on August 10, 2022. HSI agents seized counterfeit goods, various records associated the purchase and sale of such counterfeit goods, and electronic devices which were used to help facilitate the sale of counterfeit goods through the online store “Bugaboo Boutique.”

At Parry’s sentencing hearing, Judge Bazis remarked about how businesses who work hard to develop a reputation for making quality products are substantially harmed when counterfeit goods are sold. The counterfeit goods are far inferior in quality. And even when the initial purchaser of the counterfeit goods are told that the goods are counterfeit, often times those purchasers turn around and sell them to other unsuspecting customers who do not realize they are being sold counterfeit goods.

This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security.