B.G. man indicted in counterfeit software scheme

A Battle Ground man was indicted in federal court in Seattle on Thursday for allegedly selling counterfeit Microsoft software on the Internet over a period of 10 years, collecting $1.75 million in one three-year period.

Wayne Chih-Wei Shu, 44, is charged with six counts of mail fraud, trafficking in counterfeit goods and trafficking in illicit labels, according to a bulletin from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Seattle.

Shu has been summoned to make a first appearance March 5 in U.S. District Court in Tacoma, the bulletin said. The Columbian was unable to reach Shu for comment.

The bulletin said Shu owned and operated four companies that sold counterfeit software, or software that had been tampered with. The sales allegedly included kits that contained several components, some genuine, some not, that made it difficult for customers to find out the software was counterfeit.

The companies were called Micro Sharp Inc., Micro Sharp Technologies Inc., Microsharp.com.Inc, and Meet Your Price Inc., the bulletin said.

Officials say Shu took in $1.75 million in 2004 through 2006, and also sold counterfeit licenses and certificates to deceive customers.

“Shu continued his sales even after Microsoft sent him multiple ‘cease and desist’ letters,” the bulletin said.

The indictment asks that Shu be ordered to forfeit $1.7 million, plus his home and luxury car as proceeds of the alleged crimes.

If convicted, Shu could face a long prison sentence and stiff fines, including up to 20 years and a $250,000 fine for mail fraud alone, the bulletin said.

The FBI and IRS investigated the case.