2 charged in scheme to sell fake Disney pins

[May 13, 2011]  SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) -- Two Southern California men have been charged with illegally importing about $2 million worth of counterfeit Disney pins from China and selling them over the Internet.

Orange County prosecutors announced the charges against 52-year-old Robert Smyrak of Anaheim and 57-year-old Larry Allred of Walnut on Thursday.

Smyrak is accused of orchestrating a scheme in which he and Allred sent legitimate, collectible Disney pins to a manufacturer in China to be replicated. When the counterfeit pins were sent back to them, they sold the pins online while passing them off as the real deal.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers discovered the scheme in February when they intercepted a package addressed to Smyrak containing more than 150 pounds of pins.

Smyrak and Allred are scheduled to appear in court Friday.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.