Source: Office of United States Attorneys
LOS ANGELES – A San Gabriel Valley woman was charged today in a four-count federal grand jury indictment alleging she imported and sold counterfeit luxury goods, including Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and others.
Chaoyan Zhang, 33, of San Gabriel, is charged with four counts of trafficking in counterfeit goods or services.
Her arraignment is scheduled for May 8 in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
According to court documents, in February 2025, law enforcement learned that Mitchelle Inc., where defendant worked, was importing and distributing counterfeit luxury goods. The business was located inside a superstore in San Gabriel.
Amongst the counterfeit items allegedly trafficked were luxury-brand clothing, accessories, and other items, including Gucci, Valentino, Chanel, Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, among others. The boxes listed Hong Kong as the sender location. Zhang allegedly sold approximately nine counterfeit luxury brand items to a buyer for approximately $490.
Zhang was arrested on April 9 on a federal criminal complaint. Law enforcement seized all counterfeit items from Mitchelle Inc., which – had they been the genuine article – would have been valued at approximately $1 million.
Indictments contain allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, Zhang would face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for each count.
Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) Global Trade Investigations Trade Fraud Group is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Joshua J. Lee of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.