Local business owner indicted

WINCHESTER — A local business owner and another man were indicted for trademark infringement Wednesday in Winchester Circuit Court.

Huong N. Nguyen, 53, and Saed Arashad, 48, were indicted on two and three counterfeiting charges, respectively.

The indictments allege that Nguyen, who owns and operates Europe Nails and Perfect Nails at the Apple Blossom Mall, on two occasions from February to June was knowingly in possession of 100 or more counterfeit items valued at more than $200.

Nguyen could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Arashad faces identical charges from three occasions from February to August.

Nguyen, of Bunker Hill, W.Va., was also named in an October lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Harrisonburg by New York City-based Coach Inc. and Coach Services Inc., which makes, markets and sells products including handbags, wallets, eyewear, footwear, jewelry and watches.

According to the lawsuit, on July 19, investigators for Coach and Virginia State Police searched both Europe and Perfect Nails and found a combined 40 counterfeit Coach handbags and 23 counterfeit Coach wallets.

Coach, which has annual global sales that exceed $3 billion, is requesting $2 million per trademark infraction, according to the lawsuit.

Other counterfeit products in addition to Coach merchandise were allegedly discovered at the mall on July 19.

According to search warrants, a combined 7,500 counterfeit products were seized that day by police from Europe Nails, Perfect Nails and the Dollar & Up Store.

If an individual is knowingly selling fake trademarked products and possesses 100 or more identical counterfeit items, or if they are worth more than $200, the crime is a felony.

— Contact Conor Gallagher at cgallagher@winchesterstar.com