CrimeFeb 06, 2026
Florida Man Sentenced After Selling Fake Native American Jewelry for a Decade CrimeApr 21, 2026
Customs Nabs 1,500 Pieces of Counterfeit Jewelry Bound for NYC
Seized in Kentucky, the packages include fake Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Chanel, and Fendi jewelry.
A gold-colored fake Fendi bangle. The bracelet was one of more than 1,500 pieces of counterfeit designer jewelry stopped and confiscated last week by customs agents in Kentucky. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
Louisville, Ky.—Customs officials in Kentucky have seized two more shipments of fake designer jewelry, these ones originating in Hong Kong and bound for New York City.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced last week that agents in Louisville, Kentucky, confiscated 1,588 pieces of jewelry that turned out to be counterfeit.
The seized shipment included: 691 pairs of earrings, 522 bracelets, 197 necklaces, and 178 rings.
CBP said every single piece bore a brand name.
The shipment included pieces made to look like they were from fine jewelry brands—Cartier, Tiffany & Co., and Van Cleef and Arpels—as well as from high-end fashion houses that produce fine and fashion (costume) jewelry: Chanel, Christian Dior, Fendi, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Saint Laurent.
The jewelry would have retailed for $9.2 million had it been genuine.
CBP officers pulled the shipment aside because it suspected the jewelry was counterfeit.
They submitted documentation and photos to customs’ trade experts, who worked with the companies that hold the trademarks to verify the products were counterfeit.
Related stories will be right here …
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced last week that agents in Louisville, Kentucky, confiscated 1,588 pieces of jewelry that turned out to be counterfeit.
The seized shipment included: 691 pairs of earrings, 522 bracelets, 197 necklaces, and 178 rings.
CBP said every single piece bore a brand name.
The shipment included pieces made to look like they were from fine jewelry brands—Cartier, Tiffany & Co., and Van Cleef and Arpels—as well as from high-end fashion houses that produce fine and fashion (costume) jewelry: Chanel, Christian Dior, Fendi, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Saint Laurent.
The jewelry would have retailed for $9.2 million had it been genuine.
CBP officers pulled the shipment aside because it suspected the jewelry was counterfeit.
They submitted documentation and photos to customs’ trade experts, who worked with the companies that hold the trademarks to verify the products were counterfeit.
Seizures of counterfeit items are not uncommon.
CBP said it seized more than 78 million counterfeit goods in 2025 that would have been worth more than $7 billion if genuine.
The items confiscated last year included multiple shipments of fake Cartier, Rolex, and Audemars Piguet watches that were headed to New York City, Houston, and Irving, Texas; more than 7,000 pairs of counterfeit Van Cleef & Arpels earrings that were on their way to a residence in Miami; and multiple shipments of fake Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry that were headed to residences in Pennsylvania, Florida, and North Carolina, as well as to a business in Wyoming, Michigan.
The CBP noted that counterfeit goods, including all the fake luxury watches and jewelry, are sold via underground outlets and on third-party e-commerce sites, and consumers often buy them thinking they are getting an authentic piece of brand-name jewelry for a great price.
However, the items they are purchasing are of poor quality, and often are made using “harmful and banned” materials by laborers operating under sub-standard conditions, said CBP.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Crime
The Latest
IndependentsAug 14, 2026
Smyth Jewelers to Open Fourth LocationThe family-owned jeweler will open a new showroom in Bel Air, Maryland, this fall.
TrendsAug 14, 2026
Paul Morelli’s Latest ‘Wavey Vine’ Earrings Embrace ColorThe reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.
Supplier BulletinAug 13, 2026
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSponsored by American Gem Trade Association
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
FinancialsAug 13, 2026
Pandora’s ‘Talisman’ Collection Shines, Lab-Grown Diamond Sales FallIn the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.
Weekly QuizAug 13, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
AuctionsAug 13, 2026
This Gold Cadbury ‘Conundrum’ Egg Set a World Auction RecordThe 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.
SourcingAug 13, 2026
2,488-Carat Diamond, Largest Found in Botswana, Has a New Owner Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
CollectionsAug 13, 2026
John Hardy Infuses ‘Icon,’ ‘Heishi’ Collections with ColorThe expanded collections now feature hand-cut gemstones like topaz, tanzanite, chrysoprase, chalcedony, smoky quartz, and fire opal.
Lab-GrownAug 13, 2026
Jean Dousset Opens Third StoreThe lab-grown diamond jewelry brand’s newest boutique is in Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Eshed-Gemstar on the Painstaking Process of Cutting ‘The Legacy Emerald’The gemstone supplier and manufacturer acquired the remarkable 104-gram Zambian emerald at Gemfields’ auction in May.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Another Diamond Mine Poised to CloseFinsch has been in business rescue since May, and owner Petra Diamonds said it sees no viable path forward for the mine.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Jewelry Store Employee Gets 20 Years to Life in Choking Death of BossMichel Patrick DeSalles was sentenced after pleading guilty to the 2017 murder of Omid Gholian, who owned a jewelry store in Manhattan.
MajorsAug 12, 2026
Frederick Goldman Names New SVP of SalesLongtime industry executive Beth Miller has taken on the role.
AuctionsAug 11, 2026
Verdura Unicorn Brooch With Royal Connection Up for Auction The brooch was owned by Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, who served as a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II for nearly 50 years.
MajorsAug 11, 2026
Signet Jewelers Selects Mattel Exec to Lead Zales, BanterJamie Cygielman will take on the role on Aug. 24.
IndependentsAug 11, 2026
Polly’s Fine Jewelry Co-Owner Richard Moore Dies at 69Moore, Polly’s husband, is remembered as a family man with an easygoing spirit and a love for sports and the outdoors.
ColumnistsAug 11, 2026
Creative Connecting: How to Sell Colored Gemstones to Gen ZDuvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams share the best ways to display, present, and explain colored gemstones to younger customers.
Events & AwardsAug 11, 2026
NAJA Announces Lineup For 2026 Fall Virtual ConferenceThe mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers will take place Sept. 5-6 on Zoom.
TechnologyAug 10, 2026
Colorado Jeweler Launches Customization Tool He Built HimselfHonest Hands Ring Co. Founder Benjamin Bosworth shared his thoughts on jewelry technology and why AI can never replace the human element.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
QVC Exits Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Names New Interim CEOQVC Group President and CEO David Rawlinson is temporarily being replaced by a familiar face, former QVC CEO Mike George.
CollectionsAug 10, 2026
State Property Puts a Ripple in the ‘The Voyager’ CollectionThe brand also added two one-of-a-kind brown diamond pieces to the “Sanssouci” series of its “Gardens” collection.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
And IJO’s 2026 Vendor of the Year Is … Ostbye took home top vendor honors at the Independent Jewelers Organization’s show, held last month in Kentucky.
Supplier BulletinAug 07, 2026
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsSponsored by Stratus Estate Buyers
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Retail Veteran Pam Cloud Appointed President of Blue NileCloud, who will officially join Blue Nile on Monday, spent 26 years at Tiffany & Co. and founded jewelry brand Roseate.
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Pandora Appoints Paulo Garcia as New CFO Garcia will take over from the company’s current CFO, Anders Boyer, who is retiring at the end of November.
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Etsy to Lay Off 12% of WorkforceEtsy CEO Kruti Patel Goyal explained why the company is letting go more than 200 employees as its performance improves.
