5 People Charged with Trafficking $73 Million in Fake Air Jordan Sneakers

Five people were charged with trafficking counterfeit Nike Air Jordan sneakers and face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the alleged sale of over $70 million in fake shoes.

On Tuesday, Aaron Katersky of ABC News reported Miyuki Suen, Jian Min Huang, Songhua Qu, Kin Lui Chen and Fangrang Qu were charged after investigators completed an eight-month probe that included the inspection of almost 27,000 pairs of footwear.

"These five individuals are alleged to have been a part of a large-scale counterfeiting scheme, importing nearly a half-million pairs of knock-off Nike sneakers," Homeland Security Investigations special agent-in-charge Angel M. Melendez said. "These counterfeiting networks can be both detrimental to our economy and threaten our national security, and HSI will continue to take every measure in investigating and dismantling these organizations."

Investigators alleged the individuals would import generic sneakers from China to the Port of Newark in New Jersey before adding the Nike Air Jordan trademark logos and attempting to sell them as authentic, per Katersky.

"The five defendants in this case allegedly counterfeited over $70 million in fake Nike shoes and sold them to buyers on the U.S. market," Manhattan U.S. attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said. "I commend our law enforcement partners for helping to bring today's charges, which send a clear message to would-be counterfeiters: 'Just don't do it.'"

The Jordan Brand is a dominant force in the world of shoes.

Riley Jones of Sole Collector noted three of the 10 best-selling sneakers during the first quarter of 2018 were Air Jordans, led by the Air Jordan 11 Low, which took the No. 2 spot.

The brand's success is a key reason Forbes estimates the net worth of NBA legend Michael Jordan at $1.7 billion, and he's fought in recent years to ensure the trademarks are upheld in China.