110 fake Atlanta Braves World Series rings found

Customs and Border Patrol found fake championship rings from MLB, NBA and NFL teams. They estimate the value to be over $345,000 if they were authentic.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officers discovered a shipment last Thursday that included fake championship rings from the Super Bowl, NBA, and World Series — including 110 Atlanta Braves World Series rings.

A specialist with the CBP determined the rings were fake and violated Intellectual and Property Rights and trademark issues, and said they lacked the proper license to be imported into the U.S.

They estimated that if the items were authentic, they would be valued up to $345,000.

"Our officers are well-trained to find counterfeit merchandise like these in support of CBP’s mission of protecting the American public and the American economy," LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Director, Field Operations-Chicago, said.

The shipment of counterfeits included:

10 Milwaukee Bucks NBA championship rings
30 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl rings
80 Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl rings
110 Atlanta Braves World Series rings

“Counterfeit jewelry continues to flood (the) e-commerce market, and these rings were focused on a select group of sports collectors and their fans,” Sutton-Burke said.

Officers at the Express Consignment Operations hub in Louisville, Kentucky, stopped the box on March 3. They said it came from a Chinese company and was to arrive at a home in Wesley Chapel, Florida.

“This is just another example of the work our officers do to protect consumers and the U.S. economy,” Thomas Mahn, Port Director-Louisville, said. “As consumers increasingly purchase from online or third-party vendors, our officers are at the frontline to guard against defrauders expecting to make money selling fake merchandise.”

CBP reminds buyers to know what they are buying, and always purchase safe, authentic goods from reputable vendors.

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