Crackdown on fake computer parts

A Chinese businessman who sold phony Cisco computer parts to U.S. buyers was sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison, according to the U.S. attorney's office in Los Angeles. He also was ordered to repay nearly $800,000 to Cisco Systems Inc.

The defendant was identified as Yongcai Li, the owner of a technology company in China.

Li was arrested in January 2009 while visiting Las Vegas and was sent to Los Angeles for prosecution. He pleaded guilty last fall to a count of trafficking in counterfeit goods and was sentenced Jan. 25.

Prosecutors said he procured the fake gear in China and then sent it to co-conspirators in the United States.

The case is one of a series of crackdowns on fake Cisco goods since 2005. The FBI has said it has seized more than $78 million worth of counterfeit equipment in more than 400 seizures. But it's hardly a dent in a growing problem in the United States, as counterfeiters are flourishing as they lure unknowing buyers with an offer of cheap brand-name goods.

Counterfeit gear often contains lower-performing components. Some security experts see counterfeit goods as a growing threat to network infrastructure. Be careful what you buy. If it comes with a low pricetag, ask why.

For more on the Cisco case:
- see this PCworld.com article

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