Attorney General Bonta Announces Arrest, Charges Against a Peddler of Counterfeit Luxury Goods

LOS ANGELES – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the arrest of and charges against a Simi Valley resident allegedly selling counterfeit goods at her residence. On March 21, 2024, after a thorough investigation, the Department of Justice (DOJ) Bureau of Investigation (BI), leading the Los Angeles Tax Recovery in the Underground Economy (TRUE) Task Force, arrested a suspect who was allegedly selling counterfeit Rolex watches and other high-end counterfeit luxury brand products, using social media sites to market her underground business.

“The impact of counterfeit operations are deep and widespread,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Such operations harm businesses, dupe consumers into buying inferior products, and take jobs from workers who manufacture legitimate products. This arrest is the result of exceptional work done by DOJ’s legal and investigative teams, and our partners in local, state, and federal agencies.”

During the arrest and search, agents located and seized $35,000 in U.S. currency, 28 counterfeit Rolex watches, four counterfeit Audemars Piguet watches, and 235 various other counterfeit articles including handbags, wallets, and belts. The total loss to the respective brands was approximately $503,000 in value. The suspect was arrested, and Simi Valley Police Department booked her at the Ventura County Sheriff's jail. The prosecution is being handled by the California Department of Justice. 

The seizure and arrest were the result of an investigation by members of the Tax Recovery in the Underground Economy (TRUE) Task Force, led by DOJ, whose members are the California Employment Development Department, the California Franchise Tax Board, the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. The TRUE Task Force investigates and prosecutes economic crimes in the underground economy, including wage theft, tax evasion, counterfeiting and piracy, money laundering, labor trafficking, and the sale of black-market drugs, among other crimes. The task force consists of attorneys, investigators, and special agents from the member agencies. You can find more information about it at https://oag.ca.gov/bi/true. 

It is important to note that criminal charges are only allegations against a person. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty.

A copy of the criminal complaint in this case can be found here.