D.A.: Duo face new charges for counterfeiting

Accused F.S. man, brother each may get 15 years in prison following indictment

Posted

A Franklin Square man and his Plainview brother, who are accused of running a “sophisticated” counterfeiting operation involving the manufacturing of fake beauty products, are facing new charges after being arraigned on a grand jury indictment on March 20. The two men, who were arrested on March 6, each face up to 15 years in prison and fines if convicted.

Hamant Mullick, 60, of Franklin Square, and Pardeep Malik, 59, of Plainview, had initially been charged with three counts of first-degree trademark counterfeiting and one count of second-degree trademark counterfeiting — both felonies. Following their indictment, Mullick is now charged with four counts of first-degree trademark counterfeiting and Malik is charged with two counts of first-degree trademark counterfeiting and two counts of second-degree trademark counterfeiting. Nassau County Court Judge William Donnino continued Mullick’s $100,000 bond or cash bail from his March 7 arraignment, and set Malik’s bail at $50,000 bond or $25,000 cash.

According to Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice, the brothers were running storage and showroom facilities in Franklin Square, Oceanside, Valley Stream and Freeport. On the day they were arrested, more than $2 million worth of alleged counterfeit products were seized and removed in four tractor-trailer trucks in a takedown of the operation. The two men, Rice said, sold products that they and at least 20 of their employees manufactured, to distributors. The counterfeit products are facsimiles of major international brands such as Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Procter and Gamble, and Unilever. Counterfeit ChapStick, Vicks VapoRub and Vaseline were found in retail locations in New York, Pennsylvania and Florida. An investigation is under way to determine whether retail outlets in any other states sold the brothers’ manufactured products.

“Those who manufacture and distribute counterfeit goods such as lip balms, shampoos and baby oil are in the business of circumventing not only valuable trademarks and patents, but essential safety standards as well,” Rice said in a statement.

Page 1 / 3