clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Louis Vuitton and the Swap Shop Settle a Huge Knockoff Lawsuit

Getty
Getty

Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

Louis Vuitton may have just opened a new Design District store, but the luxury brand has had a bit of beef with South Florida as of late. The luxury brand sued the Swap Shop last year for selling designer knockoffs at the Fort Lauderdale flea market, and the Swap Shop's owners recently settled the case.

According to the Sun Sentinel, "Louis Vuitton had accused [owners Preston and Betty Henn] of contributory trademark violations, alleging they routinely turned a blind eye to vendors who sold designer fakes at the flea market on Sunrise Boulevard in Lauderhill."

The amount of money the Henns paid Louis Vuitton is unknown, although the Sentinel reports that they could have owed Louis Vuitton $50 million. And although the Henns pleaded innocent, they did agree to employ an inspector to scout out knockoffs at least four days per month and report it to the Swap Shop and Louis Vuitton. Louis Vuitton retained its right to send its own investigators unannounced for random searches. Vendors who are caught selling counterfeit products will be evicted, including those caught in the past.