From: Nigel.Allen@bbs.oit.unc.edu (Nigel Allen)
Subject: Waterford Crystal Importer Admits to Counterfeiting
Organization: Echo Beach
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 01:44:21 GMT

Press release from U.S. Department of Justice
 
 Waterford Crystal Importer Admits to Counterfeiting 
 To: National Desk, New Jersey Correspondents 
 Contact: U.S. Department of Justice, 202-514-2007 
 
   NEWARK, N.J., July 21 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The president of a North 
Brunswick importing company that sells crystal to retail stores 
across the United States today admitted trading in hundreds of 
thousands of dollars worth of counterfeit Waterford crystal her 
company imported from France over a 13-week period in 1991, U.S. 
Attorney Michael Chertoff announced. 
   Marsha Rock, 44 (DOB 1948-01-13) of 7 Parkside Dr., North 
Brunswick, N.J., faces a maximum of five years in federal prison and 
fines from $250,000 up to twice the loss to Waterford Crystal or her 
personal gain, when she is sentenced by U.S. District Judge Harold A. 
Ackerman, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney J.D.  Larosiliere. 
   Rock admitted that from March 1991 through August 1991, she and 
her company, Emco Industries, of 7 Parkside Dr., North Brunswick, 
N.J., committed fraud by causing shipments of crystal valued at 
$420,677.95 to be delivered from France to New Brunswick between 
April 17 and July 28, 1991.  Rock told Ackerman that the scheme 
included: 
   -- placing green and gold labels bearing the Waterford 
      trademarks on the inferior crystal; 
   -- etching the Waterford trademarks on that crystal with 
      an acid etching stamp; 
   -- wrapping the crystal in tissue paper bearing the Waterford 
      trademarks; and 
   -- placing the crystal into boxes. 
   Rock then distributed the crystal to various retail establishments 
throughout the United States, representing such crystal as genuine 
Waterford crystal, she admitted to Judge Ackerman. 
   Rock also pleaded guilty today on behalf of Emco Industries, for 
which she served as president, and on behalf of a second corporation, 
Paul Rock Associates, for which she was secretary-treasurer. 
   Both corporations admitted knowingly trafficking in counterfeit 
Waterford Crystal and using counterfeit marks in connection with 
those goods and each faces a maximum $100,000 fine when it is 
sentenced by Ackerman, Chertoff said. 
   A Florida businessman, who admitted importing more than 230,000 
crystal items over a two-year period with a wholesale value of more 
than $2 million, is currently serving a three-month prison term for 
his role in the scheme, Chertoff said. 
   Kaspar Anderes, who was the president of Euro Sales Inc.  ("Euro") 
of Coral Springs, Fla., pleaded guilty to similar charges in November 
1991. 
   Anderes admitted to Ackerman that, through a third-party, he 
negotiated an agreement with a French crystalware manufacturer to 
export crystalware with lead content ranging between 24 and 26 
percent. 
   Anderes admitted that the crystal, shipped via air cargo from 
Montbronn, France, to the U.S., was given counterfeit Waterford 
labels and that he had the Waterford logo etched or lasered into the 
crystal before it was placed in counterfeit Waterford packaging. 
   Between April 17 and July 28, 1991, Anderes and others caused 
$420,677.95 worth of crystal to be delivered from France to the 
Rocks' business in North Brunswick, he admitted at his November 1991 
guilty plea. 
   In the United States, Waterford Crystal is incorporated in 
Delaware, with its principal place of business in Wall Township, N.J. 
It is an affiliate of Waterford Wedgewood plc, the Irish corporation 
with its principal place of business in Waterford, Ireland, according 
to federal informations filed in the Rock and Anderes cases. 
   Waterford Wedgewood plc, owns numerous federally-registered and 
common law trademarks for its handcrafted, 33 percent full-lead Irish 
crystal and Waterford Crystal Inc., the New Jersey-based affiliate, 
is the sole authorized importer and distributor of Waterford crystal, 
according to federal informations filed in the Rock and Anderes 
cases. 
   A separate civil suit against a national catalog house for selling 
the counterfeit Waterford crystal is currently before U.S.  District 
Judge Nicholas H. Politan in Newark District Court (Waterford Crystal 
vs. Service Merchandise Inc. 91-3732). 
   "These pleas give us a clear glimpse of another lucrative 
white-collar crime, trafficking in counterfeit goods.  These 
business-criminals profit by overcharging an unknowing public as they 
simultaneously cheat legitimate businesses out of returns on 
investments of time and capital to which they are entitled," Chertoff 
said. 
   Under an information a defendant waives the right to have his case 
presented to a federal grand jury and, instead, pleads guilty to 
charges filed by the government. 
   Chertoff credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation under the direction of Gary L. Penrith, Newark special 
agent in charge, for their investigative efforts in connection with 
the prosecution of Rock. 
   The case is being handled for the government by Assistant U.S. 
Attorney Larosiliere of the U.S. Attorney's Criminal Division in 
Newark. 
   Defense Attorney: Michael Querques, Orange, N.J. 
   For Waterford Crystal Inc.: Scott Blake Harris, Williams & 
Connelly, 202-434-5000, Washington, D.C. 
 -30-

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