Date: April 4, 2024 Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, today announced that Izedin Kimca, of Waterbury, Denis Nako, of Worcester, Massachusetts, and his brother, Klevis Nako, of Worcester, were arrested yesterday on federal criminal complaints charging them with selling and conspiring to sell counterfeit luxury and designer brand watches through websites and social media accounts. Kimca appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria E. Garcia in New Haven, and Denis Nako and Klevis Nako appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford. All three were released on $50,000 bonds. As alleged in court documents, Kimca, Denis Nako, and Klevis Nako operated various websites, Instagram pages, and Facebook pages through which they advertised and sold counterfeit luxury watches that they had imported from China. During the investigation, law enforcement made multiple undercover transactions in which they purchased counterfeit Rolex watches from several of the Instagram accounts for approximately $200 to $300 per watch. The proceeds of the sales were deposited into bank accounts belonging to Kimca, Denis Nako, and Klevis Nako. It is further alleged that, between April 2020 to July 2022, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized approximately 74 parcels addressed to Kimca, or his aliases, that contained counterfeit luxury watches, including counterfeit Rolex, Audemars, and Panerai watches, having a total estimated manufacturers’ suggested retail price of more than $16 million had the watches been authentic. In addition, between February 2021 to April 2022, CBP seized approximately 22 parcels addressed to the residence of Denis and Klevis Nako that contained counterfeit luxury watches, including counterfeit Rolex and Cartier watches, having a total estimated manufacturers’ suggested retail price of more than $3 million had the watches been authentic. According to court documents, Klevis Nako is employed as a police officer with the Framingham State University Police Department in Framingham, Massachusetts. It is alleged that, in January 2023, HSI agents interviewed Kimca about trafficking counterfeit watches and told him that selling counterfeit watches was illegal. Kimca also had received several notices from CBP that watches had been seized and detailing potential violations associated with the importation of the items. Kimca continued to sell counterfeit watches after the interview and after receiving the CBP notices. The complaints charge Kimca, Denis Nako, and Klevis Nako with trafficking in and conspiring to traffic in counterfeit goods and services, offenses that carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Kimca is also charged with engaging in illegal monetary transactions, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This matter is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has assisted the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Neeraj N. Patel and Shan Patel.
