4 men had $570K worth of counterfeit Apple, Samsung products, Illinois prosecutors say
Four men were accused of running an electronics counterfeit ring in DuPage County worth more than half a million dollars, prosecutors said.
Salvatore Derosa, 50, Simone Signorelli, 23, Vincenzo Demartino, 49, and Luca Demartino, 25, were charged with possession of counterfeit items with intent to sell, according to the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Salvatore Derosa, 50, Luca Demartino, 25, Vincenzo Demartino, 49, and Simone Signorelli, 23, were charged with possession of counterfeit items with intent to sell, according to the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office. (Left to right) (DuPage County State's Attorney's Office)
What we know:
Police came across the suspects on May 7 when an Elmhurst officer responded to the 400 block of North Oak Street for a report of a suspicious vehicle.
Signorelli allegedly was the driver of a car that pulled up to a person. He allegedly offered to sell that person a cellphone, but they refused. The suspect left the scene.
Police tracked the car to a home in the 2N300 block of Diane Avenue in Glen Ellyn, where Signorelli parked and entered the home. Investigators later learned that all four men lived at that residence.
On May 8, Vincenzo Demartino allegedly drove to Roselle to try to sell AirPods to landscape workers, who declined the offer. He then allegedly went to another location where he again tried to sell the AirPods, but was again turned away.
A short time later, an Elmhurst police officer stopped Demartino’s car. The officer was given permission to search the car and found "numerous counterfeit items."
The items included five Apple iPhones, five Apple Watches, 19 Apple AirPod Pros, three Apple battery packs, one Apple iPod, two Apple AirPod Maxs, three Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra cell phones, and one Dyson hair dryer.
Demartino was taken into custody.
That same day, police saw Signorelli leave his home carrying a large black duffle bag into the same car he was previously seen driving. He was also stopped by police in Glendale Heights.
Officers were given permission to search the car where they also found counterfeit items, including two Apple AirPod Maxes, five Apple iPhones, an Apple iPad, 16 Apple AirPod Pros, four Apple Watches, and two Samsung Galaxy S25s.
Signorelli was also taken into custody.
A similar chain of events played out when Derosa left the home, also on May 8, when he was stopped by Elmhurst police who found bags full of purported Apple brand products. Derosa was arrested.
Police found more than $45,000 in cash and numerous counterfeit items.
Luca Demartino also left the home in a car. Officers also stopped him and searched his car and found more than $90,000 in cash. He was taken into custody.
After searching the home, police found another 767 counterfeit items with an approximate value of more than $519,000.
The total value of the items police found was more than $573,000, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said a judge granted their motion to detain the four men in jail.
What they're saying:
In a statement, DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said:
"Counterfeiting is a serious offense which can have devastating effects on our local economy and leaves us all to bear the cost. Shoppers end up paying for inferior products, employers and businesses lose sales which can translate to lost wages and lost jobs which in turn can result in reduced economic investment in our communities. I would urge everyone, if you are going to be making any major purchases, particularly electronics, which can be small, but pricy items, please do so from a reputable merchant and not from someone who approaches you on the street."
What's next:
Their next court appearances will be on June 2 for Derosa and Signorelli and on June 17 for Vincenzo and Luca Demartino.