A Smithtown woman was arrested after Nassau County police said investigators found $40 million worth of counterfeit fashion accessories that she sold to customers across the nation from her Plainview store.
Lindsay Castelli, the owner of Linny’s Boutique on Old Country Road, was charged with second-degree trademark counterfeiting after surrendering Friday to Asset Forfeiture Unit detectives.
Police and U.S. Postal Inspectors began investigating Castelli in April 2021 and determined that the 31-year-old suspect’s storefront contained thousands of synthetic heat-sealed counterfeit labels along with assorted clothing and jewelry, authorities said.
When investigators executed a search warrant Oct. 4, detectives removed 22 printing press machines and various counterfeit items labeled from Gucci, Chanel, Prada, Dior, Ugg, and Louis Vuitton with a combined value of more than $40 million, police said. Further investigation revealed the items were being shipped all over the United States.
Castelli was released on a desk appearance ticket and ordered to appear at First District court in Hempstead on Nov. 2. Attorney information for Castelli was not immediately available.
