Two Individuals Sentenced Federally for Importing Counterfeit Microsoft Software Into The United States

Two conspirators were sentenced by Senior United States District Judge Daniel T.K. Hurley in South Florida for importing counterfeit Microsoft software into the United States.

Benjamin Greenberg, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Mark Selby, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), made the announcement.

Clifford Eric Lundgren, 33, of Reseda, California and Robert J. Wolff, 54, of Boca Raton, Florida, previously pled guilty to participating in a conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2320(a)(1) and committing criminal copyright infringement, in violation of Title 17, United States Code, Section 506(a)(1)(A) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2319(a) and (b)(1). Defendants Lundgren was sentenced to 15 months in prison and a $50,000 fine. Defendant Wolff was sentenced to 6 months house arrest and four years probation.

According to documents filed with the court, Lundgren and Wolf manufactured and imported 28,000 discs containing Microsoft Windows programming, specifically, 7 Dell reinstallation Edition and XP Service Pack 3 Dell reinstallation Edition. Lundgren and Wolff violated Microsoft’s intellectual property rights by illegally manufacturing the software in China and then importing the discs into the United States.

The production, importation and/or sale of counterfeit and pirated goods can have substantial consequences for: the manufacturing industry in the form of lost sales, lost brand value, and reduced incentives to innovate; consumers who use substandard counterfeit goods; governments which may lose tax revenue and face risks of counterfeits entering national security or critical infrastructure supply chains; and the nation’s economic growth which may be slowed by reduced innovation and lost trade revenue.

Anyone with information regarding the production or trafficking of counterfeit goods is encouraged to contact law enforcement at 866-DHS-2ICE (866-347-2423).

Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of ICE-HSI. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lothrop Morris.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.