Coach awarded 5.5 million dollars in monumental counterfeit case

Coach Inc. has emerged the victory in a landmark counterfeit case 

against a flea market based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, who was selling imitation Coach products.

Last month the leather goods and accessories company won a 5.5 million dollar settlement in federal court against Preston Henn, the owner of the flea market 'Swap Shop', who had previously turned a blind eye to the sale of counterfeit goods.

The flea market spans 80 acres, with over 2,000 vendors selling their wares. According to the settlement, Coach will record what is being sold at Swap Shop and if any fake Coach items are found, the flea market will receive a 30 day notice to stop the sales, reported the WWD.

Although Coach has filed over 700 counterfeit law suits, this particular case was the first time that a property owner was held responsible for facilitating counterfeiting, instead of websites that sell fake goods or factories.

Coach's deputy general counsel Nancy Axilrod commented that they were “thrilled” with the outcome of the settlement, adding: “I’m happy to say [Coach] haven’t lost a single one, but this case is the one we are most proud of.”