FRAMINGHAM MAN SENTENCED FOR SELLING COUNTERFEIT LUXURY GOODS

Boston, MA... A Framingham resident was sentenced today in federal court for trafficking in counterfeit luxury handbags and wallets.

United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan and Kenneth W. Kaiser, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New England Field Division, announced that JACK HOFFMAN, 66, of 11 Arnold Rd., Framingham, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Reginald C. Lindsay to 3 years probation, the first 5 months of which are to be served in home detention with electronic monitoring. On May 10, 2006, HOFFMAN pleaded guilty to a one-count Information, charging him with Trafficking in Counterfeit Goods.

At the earlier plea hearing, the prosecutor told the Court that, had the case proceeded to trial, the government would have proven that, during 2001 and 2002, HOFFMAN sold counterfeit items at a flea market in Mashpee, Massachusetts and elsewhere. Specifically, HOFFMAN had approximately 200 counterfeit items for sale at this flea market in August, 2001, and had 750 counterfeit handbags and wallets at his Framingham house in July, 2002. These items copied Burberry, Gucci, Coach, Hermes, Kate Spade, Louis Vuitton, and Prada trademarks, but were of lower price and quality. The counterfeit handbags and wallets were worth approximately $38,000 at average counterfeit prices.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam J. Bookbinder in Sullivan’s Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Unit.

Press Contact: Samantha Martin, (617) 748-3139