California Man Faces 45 Years on Charges He Smuggled Fake iPhone, Galaxy Parts

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested a Laguna Hills, California, man last week on federal charges he ran a scheme that smuggled $72 million worth of counterfeit Apple and Samsung smartphone parts from China for sale online in the U.S., said the agency Thursday. Chan Hung Le, 44, faces up to 45 years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and to traffic in counterfeit goods, among other charges, said ICE. Le, through a company he owns in Irvine, California, called EZ Elektronix, smuggled counterfeit iPhone and Galaxy components and used “various tactics” to avoid detection by U.S., Hong Kong and Chinese customs authorities, it said. ICE alleges Le tried to conceal the scheme by using multiple business names and addresses, plus “virtual offices” and post office boxes, in at least three states. Once the counterfeit products arrived, Le “distributed the parts to the public through various online stores that falsely claimed the parts were genuine,” it said. Attempts to reach Le’s lawyers for comment Monday were unsuccessful.