Court awards Republic Brands $11 million

GLENVIEW - Republic Brands, a maker of rolling papers and smoking accessories, was awarded $11 million in damages by a federal jury in the company's most recent victory against counterfeiters, the company said.

The federal jury sided with Republic Brands against Georgia-based wholesaler Gabsons Novelties and its owner, Raj Solomon, who was found personally liable. Following a three-day trial in Atlanta, the jury reached the unanimous verdict that Solomon and his company had willfully sold and distributed counterfeit rolling paper products under Republic Brands' famous TOP and JOB trademarks, the company announced Wednesday.

The case against Gabsons and Solomon is the first of three cases going to trial in U.S. Federal Court in Georgia resulting from the criminal and civil raids and seizures of Republic Brands counterfeit product that took place in May 2019 with the assistance of law enforcement. The two other cases, against Star Importers & Wholesalers and ZCell Novelties and their respective owners, are also expected to go to trial in 2022.

Republic Brands has also been successful in the last several years in achieving criminal and civil judgments against counterfeiters in Texas, Tennessee, Illinois, Virginia and elsewhere.

"Counterfeiters know that Republic Brands will use all means available under the law to protect our consumers' trust and our company's reputation," Republic Brands CEO Don Levin said.