Man accused of using sports team logos on products without permission – Chicago Tribune

A northwest suburban businessman has been accused of using professional and college sports logos without permission on products that he manufactured and sold, authorities said Wednesday.

Jeff Huang, 61, is charged with unauthorized use of trademarks, a felony, officials said. According to court documents, the Mount Prospect man is accused of using sports logos that were illegally downloaded from the Internet on products such as lamps that he had manufactured in China. The merchandise featured team logos from the NHL, NFL, NBA and MLB, as well as some college teams, officials said.

Huang was charged following an undercover investigation by Cook County sheriff’s police into his Elk Grove Village business that resulted in the seizure of more than 130,000 items valued at $549,000, according to court documents.

A person who answered the phone at the business, Max International Trading Corp., said he was aware of Huang’s arrest but did not know anything about the charges. He said Huang owns the business and confirmed it makes lamps featuring sports logos. He declined to give his name.

At a bond court hearing in Cook County’s Rolling Meadows branch court Wednesday, a judge gave Huang the option of posting a $50,000 bond or being placed on electronic home monitoring. A probation officer said Huang posed no flight risk.

Huang’s public defender said Huang is married with three children and has lived in Mount Prospect since 1991. Huang requested a Mandarin interpreter for future court hearings.

Houde is a freelance reporter.

Copyright © 2015, Chicago Tribune