Sib Sob Story Stirs Judge

By Reuven Fenton
Newyork Post

A brother-and-sister team that pleaded guilty to peddling millions in counterfeit brand-name clothing and other merchandise got a virtual slap on the wrist yesterday, when a Brooklyn federal judge ruled that they were “sucked” into a life of crime.
“I am convinced that these are good people who were engaged in bad conduct,” Judge Brian Cogan said after hearing Jian and Lin Hu’s teary statements.
The two pleaded guilty to charges that they worked for ZX Trading, a counterfeit-smuggling ring that sold cheap goods — including knockoff Trojan condoms that had failed leakage tests — between 2002 and ’08 and transferred more than $12 million in profits to China.
But Cogan found that the Hus were not among the defendants who sold the faulty condoms. Those ex-ZX employees are to be sentenced next month.
The siblings said they were lured into the business by their brother and felt pressured to support struggling relatives overseas.

Attorney Todd Greenberg represented Lin Hu.