Riverwoods man accused of counterfeiting sports clothes
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Joseph Kim |
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Police say Joseph Kim owns a legitimate business, Asian American Industrial Alliance in Chicago, but uses it as a front to make and sell unlicensed sports apparel. COURTESY of COOK COUNTY SHERIFF |
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More than $650,000 in counterfeit merchandise and $400,000 in equipment was seized in a raid by Cook County sheriff´s police investigators this week, police said. COURTESY of COOK COUNTY SHERIFF |
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An undercover investigation found a Riverwoods man was manufacturing and distributing thousands of sweatshirts, T-shirts, jerseys and hats embroidered with counterfeit logos of the Bears, Blackhawks and other popular brands, Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced Thursday. COURTESY of COOK COUNTY SHERIFF |
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Investigators found most of the counterfeit apparel was boxed and ready to be shipped from Joseph Kim’s headquarters on the 4500 block of West Fillmore Street in Chicago, police said. COURTESY of COOK COUNTY SHERIFF |
A Riverwoods man has been charged with manufacturing counterfeit sports apparel bearing the logos of the Bears, Blackhawks and other top sports teams.
Joseph Kim, 27, of the 100 block of Columbine Lane, was charged with possession and manufacturing of counterfeit items, both felonies, after Cook County sheriff’s police impounded more than 10,000 pieces of clothing and eight embroidery machines at his three-story warehouse in Chicago this week. The clothing was valued at $650,000 and the machinery at $400,000.
Kim owns a legitimate business, Asian American Industrial Alliance, but according to the sheriff’s police he used it as a front for the unlicensed sports apparel.
The sheriff’s office charged that more than half of the pieces of clothing bore the logos of the Bears and other NFL teams and that they were to be shipped out to flea markets and small shops across the country. Items with Nike, Harley-Davidson and Fox Racing logos were also among those found, police said.
The vice unit began investigating Kim in October after an out-of-state market turned up such items determined to be produced by “Joe Kim Embroidery.” The items sold for $8 to $12, where legitimate apparel would be $50.
According to the sheriff’s police, Kim claimed most of the items were left over from when his father ran the embroidery business. His father was arrested more than 10 years ago in another investigation into counterfeit merchandise.
Kim was released after posting a $25,000 bond Wednesday. His next court date is Tuesday. He could not be reached for comment.
