For years counterfeit Jordans, Nikes, and Yeezy’s have made hypebeasts scream foul and sneaker collectors shriek bloody murder. Well, those cries have been heard loud and clear and with the help of the feds, Nike has shut down well-known and (alleged) counterfeit sneaker dealer Get-Supplied, also known as “SuppliedPDX,” “Supplied Inc.,” and “Supplied.”
Reportedly owned by James Pepion, the website has been accused of wheeling and dealing counterfeits, B-grades, “grey-market,” unauthorized pre-releases, and even stolen sneakers (at least some customers got officially “hot” kicks).
Koin.com is reporting that after doing their due dilligence on the much reviled website, Nike set forth in motion an operation that revealed Pepion used numerous addresses where he received 100 shipments from Hong Kong and China between May 2009 and January 2015. Investigators also determined that this supposed kingpin of counterfeit kicks had amassed a total of $2,615,988 into his Paypal account since January 16, 2012.
Reports KOIN:
Agents seized trash from Pepion’s residence on the 15000 block of SE Aspen Way and collected his financial records on August 27, 2015.
After agents served Google with a search warrant, they were able to track an email that belonged to a Chinese national who is suspected of thefts of samples and components from Nike manufacturing partner facilities in China, according to records. The man is also said to have organized the sale of stolen samples and counterfeit Nike and Air Jordan shoes.
“The email appears to show Pepion ordering bulk quantities of shoes [from the Chinese national] and having them delivered to other persons in the United States on his behalf,” according to the warrant.
Money transfers that totaled $174,460 were sent from two American-based bank accounts to China between June 2013 and September 2015, according to court documents.
Pepion could be charged with wire fraud, trafficking in counterfeit goods and money laundering. As of Monday, no criminal charges have been filed in U.S. District Court.
Multiple attempts to reach Pepion for comment for this story were unsuccessful. Several of the phone numbers associated to him went directly to voicemail boxes that were full.
According to the “Supplied” description in the Apples iTunes store, “Supplied Has Become The #1 Selling Sneaker Destination Online.”
Many of Pepion’s social media accounts have since been deleted. The “Get-Supplied.com” website is currently undergoing “rebuilding.”
Nike has since released a statement regarding the sting operation.
“Nike aggressively protects our brand, our retailers, and most importantly our consumers against counterfeiting. We actively work with law enforcement and customs officials around the world to combat the production and sale of counterfeit product, and are supporting Homeland Security Investigations in this investigation.”
Now if only Nike could keep up with the supply and demand that would surely render these sorts of websites useless.
Check the video of said company’s product to get an idea of what sneakerheads had to deal with.
[H/T The Shoe Game]
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Photo: Youtube
