$600K Seized From eBay Seller Accused Of Selling Counterfeit Airbags

Counterfeit car parts are big business and this poses a serious problem. In particular, the Michigan Department of Attorney General recently noted over 80% of counterfeit airbags fail to deploy properly, increasing the risk of injury or death.

That’s an alarming statistic, especially considering a 31-year-old New Baltimore man was recently arraigned for selling counterfeit restraint systems online. Authorities said Dinas Kamaitis sold a variety of counterfeit parts – including airbags – on his eBay store.

More: Counterfeit Car Parts Are Often More Profitable Than Drugs And Business Is Booming

While the AG’s office didn’t go into many specifics, it appears Kamaitis had a thriving business as authorities seized more than $600,000 (£465,658 / €547,470) from his bank accounts. That’s a sizable amount and Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said the state’s newly expanded Auto Fraud Task Force is “committed to holding accountable those who put Michiganders at risk.”

Speaking of the latter, it’s believed that approximately 81,000 vehicles in Michigan may be equipped with counterfeit restraint systems. Unfortunately, it’s hard for consumers to be sure their airbags are safe. However, the National Insurance Crime Bureau suggests drivers pay attention to their airbag warning light as it could hint at something amiss.

As for Kamaitis, he’s facing a long list of felony charges including one count of Using a Computer to Commit a Crime, four counts of Delivery/Possession of Property with Counterfeit Identifying Marks, and four counts of Selling Counterfeit Supplemental Restraint Systems. Adding all those up could result in a maximum of 43 years in jail.