New Britain Couple Sentenced for $4M Counterfeit Luxury Goods Scheme

Melissa Cruz and Jose Ramirez sold fake designer handbags, clothing and jewelry shipped from Asia.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 9:23pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a counterfeit designer handbag tag or label, capturing the harsh textures and dramatic lighting to convey the serious, investigative nature of this crime.A seized counterfeit luxury item exposes the shadowy world of illicit goods trafficking.Hartford Today

Melissa Cruz, 37, and Jose Ramirez, 41, of New Britain, Connecticut were sentenced to one year of probation and fines for running a multi-year scheme to import and sell millions of dollars worth of counterfeit luxury goods from Asia, including handbags, clothing, and jewelry bearing fake designer trademarks. The couple used social media and peer-to-peer payment platforms to facilitate the illegal sales.

Why it matters

Counterfeit goods trafficking is a major problem that costs legitimate businesses billions in lost revenue each year. This case highlights how sophisticated these operations can be, with criminals leveraging online platforms to reach a wide customer base. It also demonstrates the efforts of law enforcement to crack down on these illicit activities and protect consumers from purchasing fraudulent products.

The details

Between 2021 and 2024, Cruz and Ramirez worked with co-conspirators to import counterfeit goods from Thailand, China, and Hong Kong and sell them through Facebook live streams and electronic payment apps like CashApp, PayPal, and Venmo. U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized several shipments of fake handbags addressed to the couple's home, leading to a search warrant that uncovered nearly 2,000 units of counterfeit merchandise.

  • Between 2021 and 2024, Cruz and Ramirez ran their counterfeit goods operation.
  • In March 2022 and March 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized several packages containing fake handbags addressed to the couple's home.
  • On December 19, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the couple's home and seized close to 2,000 units of counterfeit goods.

The players

Melissa Cruz

A 37-year-old New Britain resident who pled guilty to conspiracy to willfully infringe a copyright for her role in the counterfeit goods scheme.

Jose Ramirez

A 41-year-old New Britain resident who pled guilty to conspiracy to willfully infringe a copyright for his role in the counterfeit goods scheme.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

The federal agency that seized several shipments of fake handbags addressed to the couple's home, leading to the investigation.

Homeland Security Investigations

The federal law enforcement agency that led the investigation into the counterfeit goods operation.

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The takeaway

This case demonstrates the scale and sophistication of counterfeit goods operations, which leverage online platforms to illegally profit at the expense of legitimate businesses and unsuspecting consumers. It also highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to crack down on these illicit activities and protect the public.