Two US men charged with running phony Cisco biz
Fake serial numbers in alleged $1m haul
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Two Kansas men have been charged with making $1m in proceeds by buying computer networking gear in China and passing it off as products from Cisco Systems.
Christopher Myers, 40, and Timothy Weatherly, 27, obtained the networking gear from a variety of sources and then slapped phony Cisco labels on them, according to documents filed in federal court in Kansas City. To give the goods the additional air of legitimacy, they put them in purported Cisco boxes and included counterfeit Cisco manuals.
Myers also stands accused of obtaining access to a website containing Cisco's confidential serial numbers, so the men could affix them to the gear they sold. Prosecutors said the men sold the equipment on eBay and on private websites.
They were charged with one count of conspiracy, 30 counts of trafficking in counterfeit goods and one count of trafficking in counterfeit labels. The government is seeking forfeiture of $1m in proceeds from the alleged crimes. If convicted, the men also face a maximum of fives years in prison and $250,000 in fines. Myers made an initial appearance in court on Thursday.
Security experts have warned that counterfeit networking gear could contain back doors that allow spies to conduct industrial espionage on US companies. ®
COMMENTS
security sock puppets...
"Security experts have warned that counterfeit networking gear could contain back doors that allow spies to conduct industrial espionage on US companies"
Security experts who are highly paid by the vendors whose kit is being ripped off are bound to say that. Now I'm not saying it's right (but then there seem to be plenty of people here who think copied music and movies is OK) but the fake kit that they produce in China is normally identical to the stuff produced by the contract manufacturing company in, er, China come to think of it; this is normally because it's the same kit from the same factory but sold through a different channel.
So just like movie and music piracy it's not stealing is it?
Flame on, Friday freetards!
Oh well...
It's not as if the people buying the euipment would ever have splashed out all the money real Cisco equipment costs.
Oh, hang on, this isn't designer handbags or MP3s is it? Do we support infringment of trademarks and forgery for expensive IT equipment or not?
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