Man Arrested for Selling Over $127 Million in Fake Shoes

A Queens man’s eight-year counterfeit trafficking scam came to an end today after he was arrested for allegedly bringing more than $127 million worth of fake shoes into the city.

A complaint was filed Monday in Southern District of New York court against Hai Long Huang, who authorities say is responsible for shipping fake containers of Timberland and Ugg boots into New York from China. As we’ve seen in prevous fake busts, Huan is accused of obtaining the shoes in “generic” form devoid of their signature logos and then later adding the emblems upon the footwear’s arrival stateside. 

The filing describes an agent’s purchase of one such counterfeit pair, a fake Timberland boot, which was confirmed after finding the logos had been altered. “Law enforcement agents removed the Timberland branding plugs on the bottom of the boots and discovered a logo for ‘Fangeli’ underneath,” reads the complaint. Documented sales include an instance of Huang selling a case of 12 fake Timberlands to an officer for $515.

Huang is said to have shipped in approximately three containers of fake Uggs, each containing 27,252 pairs with a stimated value of $4,741,840. He allegedly was even more active with the Timbs, importing approximately 66 containers filled with 6000 pairs apiece for an esaimted total of $123 million. Altogether, Haun’s eight-year operation allegedly cost the companies a combined $127,741,840. 

Huang appeared at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District Court of New York Magistrates Court moments ago, according to Inner City Press. He was released on $75,000 bond.