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Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore has sentenced Tina Oleszczuk (45, New Port Richey) to 18 months in federal prison for trafficking in counterfeit cosmetics. As part of her sentence, the Court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $944,839.75, the proceeds of her criminal conduct. She pleaded guilty on September 25, 2014.
According to court documents, from March 2012 to March 2014, Oleszczuk, through her company Cozmetic Delights, LLC, sold more than $1 million worth of counterfeit Make-up Art Cosmetics, Inc. (“MAC”) cosmetics. Operating out of her residence in New Port Richey, Oleszczuk purchased and had bulk quantities of counterfeit MAC cosmetics delivered from a source in China. Oleszczuk then sold the counterfeit cosmetics as legitimate goods at significantly higher prices. She sold them to purchasers across the country via a website for Cozmetic Delights, via E-Bay, and directly to certain wholesale customers.
"Counterfeiting undermines the U.S. economy, robs Americans of jobs, stifles American innovation, and promotes other types of crime,” said Susan L. McCormick, special agent in charge of HSI Tampa. “The only ones who benefit from schemes like this are the counterfeiters themselves, and they are benefiting at America's expense."
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Jackson and Mark Bini.