More than 2,000 counterfeit airbags recovered. Mohammed Al-Abadi, 51, of Memphis, Tenn., has been indicted and arrested for one count of trafficking in counterfeit goods and one count of causing the criminal transportation of hazardous materials by air carrier. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz announced. According to United States Attorney Ritz and the information presented […]
Philadelphia Auto Technician Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Hazardous Automobile Airbags from China
United States Attorney Jacqueline Romero announced that Emiliano Rodriguez, 45, a citizen of the Dominican Republic residing in Philadelphia, Pa. pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking in counterfeit goods, and two counts of causing the delivery of hazardous materials by air carrier in connection with a scheme to utilize counterfeit goods in used vehicles, […]
Federal Authorities Arrest Philadelphia Man Who Allegedly Imported Counterfeit Airbags
Federal authorities arrested a suspect February 2 following a years-long investigation of counterfeit vehicle airbag inflators that included seizures by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in 2019. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania is charging Emiliano Rodriguez, 44, a citizen of the Dominican Republic residing in Philadelphia, Pa., with […]
Automotive Anti-Counterfeiting Council Calls on eBay to Prohibit Sale of All Airbags
Group says the change is needed to reduce the availability of potentially deadly counterfeit airbags. The Automotive Anti-Counterfeiting Council, Inc. (A2C2), a leading voice in the fight against counterfeit automotive parts, is urging eBay to halt the sale of all supplemental restraint system (SRS) airbags and components on eBay.com, calling it the only effective way […]
Counterfeit Airbag Supplier Sentenced To Prison
Ohio man ordered to pay over $75,000 and serve one year in prison. U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced that David Nichols, 69, of Marysville, Ohio, who was convicted of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit air bags, was sentenced to serve one year in prison and ordered to pay $75,846 in restitution by U.S. […]
Virginia Passes Legislation Prohibiting Counterfeit and Non-Functional Airbags
Virginia is the latest state to make the manufacturer, sale or installation of a counterfeit or non-functional airbag a crime. Virginia House Bill 2143 (HB 2143) was signed by Governor Northam on March 14. The bill, introduced in January, amends Chapter 392, Section 46.2-1088.3 of the Code of Virginia to provide that any person is […]
Missouri Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Counterfeit Airbags
A southwestern Missouri man pleaded guilty in federal court December 6 to a scheme to sell counterfeit automotive airbags and components online. This guilty plea resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the IRS – Criminal Investigation division. Aleksey Illyuk, 28, of Ozark, Mo., pleaded guilty […]
California Man Sentenced To Prison For Selling Counterfeit Airbags
Vitaliy Fedorchuk, 28, of Antelope, Calif., was sentenced by United States District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller to one year and one day in prison and a $5,000 fine for an international scheme to sell counterfeit airbags via eBay and other internet sales sites, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, between […]
California Governor Signs Airbag Fraud Bill
Makes it illegal to knowingly manufacturer, sell or install a non-functioning airbag. On Tuesday, California Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 2387 (AB2387) making that state the fourth this year to make it a crime to “manufacture, import, install, reinstall, distribute, sell, or offer for sale) a counterfeit or non-functioning airbag. Other states that have […]
Insurance Anti-Fraud Group Pushes for Passage of Pennsylvania Counterfeit Airbag Bill
The Coalition Against Insurance Fraud wants Commonwealth to approve legislation making it a crime to knowingly install a non-functioning airbag, protect consumers from “Shady repair shops” that install phony airbags. The Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, the alliance of consumers, government, anti-fraud agencies and insurance companies, is call on the Pennsylvania Senate to approve House Bill […]