A man from New York is in trouble with the law after allegedly peddling over $2 million worth of fake Nintendo and Pokemon products. If found guilty, the seller could end up serving a significant jail sentence for the sale of the fake Nintendo consoles and accessories.
Game consoles are big business, and unfortunately, counterfeits and rip-offs are produced to try and take advantage of the industry's customers. While some counterfeits are easy enough for gamers to spot, others can be tricky, and when the products appear on a reputable website, customers may let their guard down.
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Nintendo Counterfeiter Gets In Legal Trouble
It seems that far too many people fell for the fake products one seller was peddling online. According to the Nassau County District Attorney's Office (via CBS), a man named Isaac Lapidus from New York has pled not guilty to trademark counterfeiting and conspiracy. Lapidus was apparently selling these products on Amazon as a third-party seller, and after numerous returns were made from unhappy customers, the company looked into the matter. The DA says a Nintendo official was brought in to inspect some examples of the returns, and declared that they were all counterfeit, with no actual Nintendo parts. The products reportedly included Nintendo Switch docks, adapters, Pokemon GO Plus+ devices, and knock-off versions of the NES Mini.
After the discovery of the illicit sales, investigators took a look at the warehouse Lapidus owned, which was found to be full of the fake products. Currently, Lapidus is looking at a potential 15-year sentence in prison if found guilty, but the charge could potentially get worse, as the investigation is looking into other products found in the warehouse that may also be counterfeits. Amazon has since blocked the seller accounts and removed any remaining listings for the fake Pokemon and Nintendo products.
Unfortunately, there have been numerous cases of counterfeits and crime surrounding Nintendo and Pokemon products just in 2025. In Italy, cops discovered a game counterfeiting ring and seized $50 million in fake retro games, while a man earlier in the year ripped off Pokemon TCG sellers with counterfeit cash. Over the years, fakes and counterfeits of everything from Pokemon cards to Amiibo to toys have been discovered. To reduce the risk of getting ripped off, gamers should take care to inspect any potential purchases carefully before buying, and keep in mind that if a deal seems too good to be true, it just might be.
Nintendo Switch
- Brand
- Nintendo
- Battery
- 1 Lithium Polymer batteries required
- Dimensions
- 13.7 x 7.8 x 3.66 inches
- Weight
- 2.65 pounds