Nassau
police arrested the owner of a store in Plainview Tuesday and seized more than
$40 million worth of clothing in what authorities called the largest
counterfeit clothing bust they have ever seen.
Detectives
say they discovered an entire operation in the basement of Linny’s Boutique, where clothing items
were being stamped with high-end names. The items were fakes, police say, and
were being sold online and in the store by owner Lindsay Castelli, of
Smithtown.
The
store contained thousands of knockoff Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Prada and
Dior clothing items that were being seal-pressed. Police say they also
found 22 heat-pressing machines.
“A
simple $10 sweatshirt – you put the Chanel brand on it, it sells for $5,300,”
said Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder. “They would take a $3 hat…and
sell [it] for $300.”
After
receiving tips from sources, police conducted an 18-month investigation that
involved surveillance and undercover purchases at the store. Police say a
further investigation revealed that the items were also being sold on a
website she was running and shipped to consumers.
Castelli surrendered herself to Nassau County Asset Forfeiture Detectives on Oct. 7.
Castelli
was charged with trademark counterfeiting. She’s due back in court Nov. 2. If
convicted, she could face up to four years in jail.
News
12 went to Castelli’s home for comment, but there was no answer. Her neighbors
also didn’t have any comments.
Carole
Rutkovsky, of Plainview, says she bought some items at the store and feels “totally
betrayed.”
Bonnie Furman, of Melville, says she paid $50 for a Chanel
sweatshirt from the store and had a feeling it was a fake.
“It was never the kind of stuff that I would think was real.
But it said Chanel…I never thought it was great quality,” she said.