A Secaucus man is among three pleading guilty to trafficking counterfeit computer networking devices between September 2017 and May 2021, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced.
BBy John Heinis/Hudson County View
Musa Karaman, 35, of North Arlington, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with one count of trafficking in counterfeit goods. His sentencing is scheduled for January 4th 2024.
Sadri Ozturan, 37, of Hawthorne, and Israfil Demir, 38, of Secaucus, each pleaded guilty before Judge Castner on August 9th to separate informations charging them with one count of trafficking in counterfeit goods.
Sentencing for Ozturan is scheduled for December 13th, 2023, while Demir’s sentencing is scheduled for the following day.
From September 2017 through May 2021, Karaman, Demir, and Ozturan formed and operated numerous entities selling computer networking equipment, including networking devices manufactured by Cisco Systems Inc., a major U.S. technology conglomerate.
Although the defendants advertised the Cisco products they offered for sale as new and genuine, the products were counterfeit devices they procured from various overseas suppliers at well below market prices and resold at higher prices.
The offense of trafficking in counterfeit goods carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $2 million.
Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel; and the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty, with the investigation leading to the guilty pleas.
