Near-$1m of fake championship rings seized in Cincinnati

More than 1,300 fake championship rings have been seized in Cincinnati during the holiday season, according to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The agency says the value of the seized rings would have been almost $1m if they had been genuine. The fakes – which included Boston Red Sox World Series, LA Dodgers, Milwaukee Bucks, University of Kentucky Championship, and NASCAR Championship rings – arrived in the city in 56 shipments. Many of the shipments contained trophies such as the Vince Lombardi trophy to go along with the ring sets.

“Purchasing counterfeit sports memorabilia defunds our sports organizations,” said Cincinnati Port Director Richard Gillespie. "The money profited from selling fake merchandise such as championship rings, is used to damage the US economy and fund criminal enterprises."