A client that manufactures consumer batteries asked us to help with a counterfeit issue they were experiencing in a particular country. According to the client, the quantity of counterfeits went from almost non-existent to flooding the market over a period of six months. The problem became so massive that the client suspected there were more… Continue reading When Counterfeits Outnumber Genuine Products

I arrived in Panama on December 21, 1989 to participate in Operation Just Cause, commonly referred to as the invasion of Panama. Initially, I was set to stay 7 days, but ended up staying for 7 months. The first few days were spent hunting for Noriega, followed by searching for evidence proving his connection with… Continue reading Police officer in Panama

I learned to drive in Mexico City in 1979. At the time, I was 17 years of age and in high school in Mexico. Unlike in the U.S., driver’s education is not taught in high school in Mexico, or anywhere else in Latin America that I am aware of, for that matter. So, my parents… Continue reading Learning to Drive

My exercise regime got off track during the middle of the pandemic (not sure it was actually the middle now, as this thing has dragged on for so long), and I have been struggling to get back on track. Part of this (or should I say, most of this) includes early morning runs with my… Continue reading Health, Perspective and Gratitude – My thoughts for this Friday

Several years back, one of our investigations resulted in the seizure of several thousand counterfeit products. After reviewing the products to ensure they were counterfeit, the police packed them up and transferred them to the prosecutor’s office for safekeeping. That same afternoon, one of our investigators was visiting the courthouse for an unrelated issue and… Continue reading Corruption, a threat to IP Investigations

There is a first time for everything in life. The first time you walk. The first words that you utter. Your first day of school. The first time you fall in love. And the first time someone points a gun at you.   The first time that I ever had a gun pointed at me… Continue reading First Time

I was born in Massachussets, but moved around quite a bit. By the time I turned 18, I had lived in Boston, Denver, Argentina, Venezuela and Mexico. By the time I hit 30, I added Bolivia, Peru, Panama, Georgia, Texas and Miami to the list, not to mention an additional 20 or so countries to… Continue reading Everybody has a story to tell. This is a bit of mine

One of our clients had received an anonymous email identifying an individual who was counterfeiting their products. The email included a great deal of detailed information, including how the counterfeiter stacked his money within shoe boxes that he left on the back portion of an upper shelf in his closet – details that only someone… Continue reading Former lovers and spouses make the best informants

I spent 15 years with the DEA without ever having been in the line of fire. I can’t say the same thing for my work with the private sector.    I was working with local law enforcement on behalf of one of our company’s clients on an operation against 64 targets selling counterfeit electrical parts… Continue reading A bit too much adrenaline for a counterfeit case

We were conducting an investigation for one of our clients on counterfeit laptop power supplies. The chargers were being brought in from China without markings and sold over the Internet after counterfeit trademarks and labels were affixed. We made several purchases online, and each time the power supplies were sent via courier, with a return… Continue reading From Trash to Gold