L-Acoustics wins historic US$5m counterfeiting case

An investigation led by L-Acoustics late last year has resulted in the seizure of an extraordinary 136 counterfeit products from Tampa-based rental company Se7ven Sounds Music. Along with the seizure, L-Acoustics filed a complaint against Se7ven Sounds for trademark infringement, counterfeiting and unfair competition. This month, the United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division ordered Se7ven Sounds Music to pay damages of US$5million dollars to L-Acoustics. L-Acoustics also won the right to destroy the 136 counterfeit products confiscated during the investigation.

The final judgment holds that the "defendants infringed the L-Acoustics Trademarks by intentionally and wilfully engaging in the unauthorised manufacturing, importation, offering for sale and/or rental, and sale and/or rental of goods in interstate commerce imitating the design of L-Acoustics products and bearing counterfeit L-Acoustics Trademarks." A judgment of this magnitude is a first in the professional audio industry. It confirms the absolute importance L-Acoustics places on deterring the manufacture, sale and rental of fake L-Acoustics products and serves as a warning to those who contemplate infringing the company’s IP rights.

L-Acoustics lauds the US justice system and especially the United States District Court, Tampa Division, for recognising the noxious effects of counterfeiting on the quality and safety of the events industry. The filed complaint for "trademark counterfeiting and infringement, false designation of source origin, unfair competition and deceptive acts or practices under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, common law trademark infringement, and common law unfair competition" is a milestone in L-Acoustics' ongoing anti-counterfeiting mission.

"Our customers and clients must have confidence in the L-Acoustics name and the integrity of our products and of our worldwide network of certified partners," said Laurent Ostojski, senior legal counsel at L-Acoustics. "We have zero tolerance for counterfeiting and this judgment makes it clear that not only manufacturing counterfeit equipment but also renting and selling fakes is illegal and punishable by law. It sends a strong message to service providers who profit by deceiving end-users and promoters by providing inferior and unsafe counterfeit equipment.”