MIAMI – A luxury goods manufacturer is suing a distributor over allegedly counterfeit merchandise.
Chanel Inc. filed a complaint on Feb. 8 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida against Caren Chau, doing business as Chloe's bagzz, and Does 1-10, citing trademark counterfeiting and infringement, unfair competition and false designation of origin.
According to the complaint, the defendants have been selling, promoting and advertising goods that use counterfeit and infringing trademarks that resemble the Chanel marks. The plaintiff alleges that it suffered unquantifiable damages and that the defendants allegedly created confusion among members of the trade and the consuming public as to the origin and quality of counterfeit goods.
The plaintiff seeks the following: compensation for statutory damages amounting to $2 million per each counterfeit trademark used and product sold, reasonable attorneys’ fees and investigative fees, prejudgment interest and any further relief that the court deems just and proper. It is represented by Stephen M. Gaffigan and Virgilio Gigante of Stephen M. Gaffigan PA in Fort Lauderdale.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Case number 0:16-cv-60258