A Coconut Grove resident was sentenced to 24 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release, by United States District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks, following his conviction for trafficking in counterfeit merchandise, concealing assets, and laundering money.
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Robert C. Hutchinson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
Tatiana F. Tascon, 40, of Coconut Grove, previously pled guilty to trafficking in counterfeit goods, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2320(a)(1); concealing assets, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 152(1) and 152(2); and money laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(a)(1)(B)(i). As part of Tascon’s sentence, the defendant agreed to forfeit $78,949.45, as well as two properties in Miami, Florida.
According to court documents, Tascon trafficked in counterfeit goods, including high-end designer handbags, wallets and watches, out of a showroom in her Coconut Grove residence. While trafficking in counterfeit goods, the defendant filed for and was ultimately granted Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection. In her bankruptcy filings the defendant failed to report that she had earned over $700,000 from her illicit counterfeit goods business. Tascon laundered the earnings from her illegal business through the bank accounts of third parties.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of ICE-HSI. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert J. Emery, Daya Nathan, and Eloisa Fernandez.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.