October 01, 2015
A Philadelphia man known for selling designer purses and sneakers in the Germantown section of the city has been charged with trafficking in counterfeits, federal prosecutors announced Thursday.
52-year-old Lassana Nianghane, known as "the Purse Man," is accused of selling counterfeit goods totaling approximately $127,200 on the sidewalk near Germantown and Chelten Avenues.
Between September 2011 and June 2014, prosecutors say Nianghane used brand marks "identical to and substantially indistinguishable from" the imprints found on genuine products.
If convicted, Nianghane faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $2 million, a special assessment of $100, and up to three years of supervised release.
