CHICAGO — Customs and Border Protection officers in Chicago seized 86 fake championship rings that were headed for a home in Florissant, Missouri.
On Sept. 13, CBP officers seized a shipment from China containing the 86 rings. The officers said they identified the rings as fraudulent because they were poorly constructed and were missing security features built into real rings.
Of the 86 rings, 22 were St. Louis Cardinals rings, 24 were Chicago Bulls rings, 34 were New York Yankees rings and six were Philadelphia Eagles rings. If they were real, the rings would have been worth $2.38 million.
“Shipments like these prey on the many sports fans across the nation who may be scammed into paying high prices for fake memorabilia,” LaFonda Sutton-Burke, the director of field operations in Chicago said in a news release. “I’m extremely proud of these officers’ determination in stopping illicit shipments, and our commitment to protecting the American economy.”
The release said fake rings are often sold in underground outlets and in third-party online shops to fund smugglers and members of organized crime.
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