Counterfeit Yeti Booth Busted At Will Co. Fair
Will County Sheriff’s deputies were working at the Will County Fairgrounds in Peotone on Thursday, August 22, when several citizens raised concerns about the authenticity of a Yeti tumbler being sold at the Yeti booth at the Will County Fair. Yeti, a company based out of Austin, Texas, is a high-end business which manufactures outdoor lifestyle products including tumblers, mugs, lids, coolers, and several other products and accessories.
Some of the deputies – familiar with the Yeti product and brand name – investigated the booth and became suspicious. They contacted a representative from Yeti, who said they would send an investigator to the Fair on Friday.
On Friday, August 23, deputies met with a Yeti investigator and a Senior Special Agent from Homeland Security on the Fairgrounds. The investigator purchased two tumblers for $45.00, and determined the tumblers to be fraudulent. During a discussion with the booth purveyor, the deputies were shown a fraudulent sign and “certificate of authenticity,” stating he was an authorized dealer.
Arrested was 72-year old Robin Dana Perry, a resident of The Villages in Florida. He is charged with Counterfeit/Imitating a Trademark, which is a Class II felony. Perry’s bond was set at $25,000. Perry posted bond on Saturday, and was released. More than 16-hundred fake Yeti tumblers were seized, in addition to cashier’s checks, and a 2014 Ford van.
Homeland Security and other law enforcement agencies are continuing their investigation.
