Ontario importer pleads guilty to trafficking $4.2 million dollars in counterfeit merchandise

BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Wasseem Ramjaun, 48, of Vaughan, Ontario, pleaded guilty to before Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny to trafficking in counterfeit goods, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $2,000,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo, who is handling the case, stated that Ramjaun operated various importing and exporting businesses in Canada. From approximately October 2016 to August 1, 2017, Ramjaun agreed to provide an individual with authentic Yeti, Vera Bradley, and Lacoste merchandise. However, Ramjaun was not authorized to use the trademarks of these companies. As a result, in January 2017, Ramjaun contacted a manufacturer in China and ordered bags that appeared identical to genuine Vera Bradley bags. To make sure the bags appeared authentic, Ramjaun provided the manufacturer with photographs and tags of authentic Vera Bradley bags. 

Between June 1 and June 8, 2017, Ramjaun imported the counterfeit Vera Bradley bags into the United States through a port of entry in Western District of New York. To conceal the fact the bags were fraudulent, Ramjaun provided United States Customs and Border Protection with a fraudulent manufacturing agreement. $4,216,025 is the total loss associated with Ramjaun’s conduct.

The plea is the result of of an investigation by the United States Homeland Security Investigations, under the supervision of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.

Sentencing is scheduled for December 11, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Skretny.

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