Parkville Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Over $400,000 in Counterfeit Goods, Money Laundering Conspiracy

KANSAS CITY, MO—Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Parkville, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to traffic more than $400,000 worth of counterfeit designer purses, shoes, and other items, and to a money laundering conspiracy.

James L. Dicapo, also known as “Jimmy,” 57, of Parkville, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert E. Larsen to a federal information that charges him with conspiring to traffic in counterfeit goods and to commit money laundering.

By pleading guilty today, Dicapo admitted that he participated in a conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods in the Kansas City, Mo., area from Nov. 1, 2007, to Sept. 9, 2009. Dicapo admitted that he sold more than $400,000 worth of counterfeit goods, including Burberry, Coach, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Dooney & Bourke, Ed Hardy, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Prada trademarked merchandise, at prices far below the retail value of the genuine goods.

Dicapo received the counterfeit goods from a supplier in New York, who shipped them via UPS to Dicapo’s residence or to Dee Fashion in Kansas City, Kan. Dicapo used the proceeds from the sale of counterfeit goods to purchase money orders to pay for the COD deliveries of additional counterfeit goods. For example, from Nov. 20, 2007, to Jan. 12, 2009, Dicapo paid approximately $173,032 for counterfeit goods shipped from his New York supplier.

According to today’s plea agreement, Dicapo sold more than $400,000 worth of counterfeit goods during the conspiracy.

Dicapo sold several purses to undercover law enforcement officers. Dicapo sold a counterfeit Prada purse and a counterfeit Coach purse for $85 each. On another occasion, Dicapo sold a counterfeit Coach purse for $75 and a counterfeit Coach wallet for $35. Dicapo also sold a counterfeit Coach purse and a counterfeit Dolce & Gabbana purse for $65 each.

Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Dicapo must forfeit to the government hundreds of counterfeit goods that were seized from him by FBI agents. On March 31, 2009, Dicapo possessed approximately 576 pieces of counterfeit designer merchandise in his residence and in his van, including 21 18-gallon plastic tubs in his van that contained counterfeit purses, shoes, blue jeans, t-shirts, sunglasses, and wristlets, which were seized by law enforcement. On Sept. 9, 2009, Dicapo possessed approximately 70 pieces of counterfeit designer merchandise in his residence and in his van, including counterfeit purses, sunglasses, baseball hats, and t-shirts, which were seized by law enforcement.

Dicapo also admitted that he participated in a conspiracy to conduct financial transactions that involved the proceeds of his illegal activity, which was intended to promote that activity and designed to conceal the source of the proceeds.

Under federal statutes, Dicapo is subject to a sentence of up to 25 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $750,000. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jess E. Michaelsen. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department.