By Jacob Miller | Sep 16, 2025
Counterfeit products and investigationAccording to the Nassau County District Attorney's Office, Isaac Lapidus of New York was charged with trademark counterfeiting and conspiracy. Prosecutors allege he was a third-party seller on Amazon who promoted fake Nintendo merchandise, including Switch docks, adapters, NES Mini consoles, and Pokémon GO Plus+ devices.
Customers complained about the products not working after purchase, which led to the investigation being launched.
A Nintendo representative looked into some of the merchandise and confirmed that the merchandise was not built with any authentic components. Investigators also searched Lapidus' warehouse and found a range of counterfeit products.
Potential prison time and ongoing investigation
If he is found guilty, Lapidus could face up to 15 years in prison. Authorities are investigating more products found in the warehouse to see if there are any more counterfeit products.
Amazon has deactivated the account of Lapidus while also removing the remaining listings relating to the counterfeit sales.
Counterfeit gaming industry concerns
This case also adds to what has been a long list of counterfeit crimes directed at Nintendo or Pokémon in the year 2025. Earlier in the year, Italian authorities seized $50 million in counterfeit retro games, and in the year previous, another scammer was arrested for using counterfeit money, scamming individuals selling Pokémon TCG merchandise.
Counterfeit games and merchandise are not a new concern for the video game community, particularly with cards/toys/Amiibo figures.
Experts suggest always taking caution when shopping for products online, reviewing any and every product the customer is interested in before selecting to purchase, and if a deal looks or feels to good to be true... it most likely is!
