Long Island man made millions selling fake Nintendo products on Amazon, DA says. Bad reviews led to his arrest.
A Long Island man allegedly made millions of dollars by selling counterfeit Nintendo accessories on Amazon.
A host of scathing product reviews got the attention of the online retailer, which tipped off the Nassau County District Attorney's Office.
"They brought Nintendo in and had them look at the products that had been sent back to Amazon, and they said, these are all counterfeit, 100%, no Nintendo parts at all," Nassau County DA Anne Donnelly said.
The investigation led to an Island Park warehouse allegedly stocked with fake products.
Lawrence resident Isaac Lapidus, 34, was arrested. He pleaded not guilty to trademark counterfeiting and conspiracy. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
Authorities said Lapidus hawked more than $2 million worth of counterfeit Nintendo accessories since 2018 using the Amazon seller accounts PandaVida Inc., Unibabe, ABC of product, this too shall pass, and Zuzu Cares 4 U (now listed as ArminStore on Amazon).
Donnelly said Nintendo Switch docking stations, docking station adapters and Pokémon Go Plus+ accessories were all counterfeit.
Island Park neighbors said it all looked legitimate from the outside.
"There's always trucks loading and unloading, especially during Christmas," Karen Hall said.
"He was getting these counterfeit products from overseas, likely the Philippines and China ... and making an incredible profit," Donnelly said.
No one at the warehouse responded.
Amazon said it has zero tolerance for counterfeits and acted quickly by removing the counterfeit listings and blocking relevant selling accounts.
Donnelly said more arrests could follow and the investigation is continuing into other brand-name merchandise, including mattresses, found in the warehouse.
Warning signs of a counterfeit product
Jake Marquina, a corporate trainer with PayMore Stores, can spot a fake. He said the graphics are rarely as sharp.
"The coloring doesn't look as bold as it should be. It's a little bit faded, so that's one clear indicator as well," Marquina said.
Other red flags can include the price, which may seem too good to be true.
"When you buy counterfeit electronics, there is always the chance of a fire and that's what we didn't want," Donnelly said.
Donnelly said Lapidus' products had incorrect Japanese language characters.