Four Metro Detroit men were charged in connection with what the Michigan Attorney General called the largest counterfeit bust in the state.
The investigation began when Walmart Marketplace alerted Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office in October 2023 regarding their counterfeit investigation. Amazon also joined in the investigation as they were investigating the same issue.
Legitimate manufacturers reported to Amazon and Walmart on third-party companies selling luxury brand perfumes and colognes.
One of the companies the legitimate manufacturers reported on was a third-party manufacturer called Max Mix-Up LLC, which Kyle McIntyre, a 38-year-old man from Port Huron, operated.
According to the attorney general’s office, McIntyre has been running his business since 2016.
Nessel said McIntyre’s business on Amazon and Walmart had hundreds of complaints reported, saying the products were fake.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant at McIntyre’s residence and seized about 300 boxes of counterfeit perfume and cologne.
100,000 more boxes were seized from a warehouse, leading to the arrest of a 29-year-old Sterling Heights man, a 28-year-old from Sterling Heights and a 28-year-old from Warren.
Nessel, along with Michigan State Police, said this was the largest counterfeit seizure in the state.
According to the attorney general, the four men shared products amongst themselves, shared warehouses and sourced that material from all over the nation. She also said that the four went under multiple third-party manufacturer names online.
McIntyre was charged with one count of conducting a criminal enterprise, six counts of possession of counterfeit goods and one count of using a computer to commit a crime.
The three others were each charged with one count of conducting a criminal enterprise, 13 counts of possession of counterfeit goods and one count of using a computer to commit a crime.
Nessel said they are expected to be arraigned in the 41-A District Court “in the coming days.”
The attorney general also said the counterfeit fragrances contained harmful chemicals and metals that can cause harm to people.