Musa Karaman, Sadri Ozturan and Israfil Demir Confess to Conspiracy to Traffic Counterfeit Computer Parts
Tuesday, September 05, 2023
TRENTON, N.J. – Three New Jersey men have admitted their roles in a conspiracy to traffic counterfeit computer networking devices, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Musa Karaman, 35, of North Arlington, New Jersey, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with one count of trafficking in counterfeit goods. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 4, 2024.
Sadri Ozturan, 37, of Hawthorne, New Jersey, and Israfil Demir, 38, of Secaucus, New Jersey, each pleaded guilty before Judge Castner on Aug. 9, 2023, to separate informations charging them with one count of trafficking in counterfeit goods. Sentencing for Ozturan is scheduled for Dec. 13, 2023, and sentencing for Demir is scheduled for Dec. 14, 2023.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From September 2017 through May 2021, Karaman, Demir, and Ozturan formed and operated numerous entities selling computer networking equipment, including networking devices manufactured by Cisco Systems Inc., a major U.S. technology conglomerate. Although the defendants advertised the Cisco products they offered for sale as new and genuine, the products were counterfeit devices they procured from various overseas suppliers at well below market prices and resold at higher prices.
The offense of trafficking in counterfeit goods carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $2 million.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel; and the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty, with the investigation leading to the guilty pleas.
The government is represented by Andrew M. Trombly, Chief of the General Crimes Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha C. Fasanello of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark.