Bolingbrook Man Arrested In Counterfeit Sports Jersey Scheme

BOLINGBROOK, IL — A Bolingbrook man has been arrested and charged with selling fake professional sports jerseys and memorabilia imported from China, according to the Will County Sheriff's Office. The man allegedly made hundreds of thousands of dollars in the scheme, and refused to stop the practice after several warnings from federal authorities, police said.

Robin G. Huberty, 62, was arrested Wednesday following a Department of Homeland Security investigation into his alleged practice of buying counterfeit sports jerseys and other items and reselling them in the United State, according to the Will County Sheriff's Office. Huberty allegedly imported fake sports jerseys from the MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL.

He sold fake championship rings, shoes and baseball hats, and sold counterfeit versions of brands like Majestic, Adidas and Nike, according to police. Huberty also allegedly sold counterfeit Lego toys.

Huberty, of the 100 block of Rhine Avenue in Bolingbrook, resold the items on two online stores he managed, the sheriff's office said. The business made hundreds of thousands of dollars last year alone, Huberty allegedly told detectives.

In February, the Will County Sheriff's investigation unit was notified by Homeland Security of the investigation into Huberty. Sheriff's deputies worked on the case with the federal agency and a private investigator specializing in counterfeit merchandise, in an investigation dubbed "Operation Jersey Boy," according to police.

On Wednesday, the investigative team served a search warrant on Huberty's home. Huberty cooperated with detectives, telling authorities he had been selling the products since mid-2017, police said. Huberty allegedly told authorities he continued the business despite his eBay accounts being suspended for the counterfeit merchandise, and despite numerous written warnings from United States Border Protection.

After his arrest, authorities seized 554 counterfeit jerseys, seven pairs of counterfeit Adidas shoes, 64 counterfeit baseball hats and nine counterfeit sports team patches. Huberty's 2012 Toyota Camery and procees from the sales were also seized, the sheriff's office said.

Huberty was charged with six felony counts of infringing the Counterfeit Trademark Act. His bond was set at $75,000, and Huberty appears to have paid the $7,500 needed to bond out. Huberty was released from Will County Jail on Thursday, county records show.

His next court date is scheduled for Oct. 2.