Long Island Man Charged in $2 Million Counterfeit Nintendo Switch Accessory Scheme

A Long Island man has been arraigned after authorities uncovered a widespread scheme involving the sale of counterfeit Nintendo products, resulting in more than $2 million in revenue over several years.

The individual, identified as 34-year-old Isaac Lapidus, is now facing serious charges including trademark counterfeiting and conspiracy.

Although Lapidus has entered a not guilty plea and has been released pending further legal proceedings, the case marks a significant crackdown on counterfeit gaming accessories impacting the Nintendo Switch console and other popular Nintendo devices. According to the Nassau County District Attorney's Office, the alleged operation spanned from October 2018 through September 2023 and involved the sale of an extensive array of falsified Nintendo-branded goods.

Authorities estimate that approximately 200,000 counterfeit Nintendo Switch docking stations, more than 10,000 adapted docking station adapters, and roughly 15,705 imitation Pokemon GO Plus accessories were distributed as part of the scheme.

These products were sold predominantly through Amazon using several seller accounts connected to Lapidus. The investigation culminated with a search of a Long Island warehouse in Island Park, where law enforcement seized a substantial cache of suspected counterfeit merchandise.

The haul included 46 boxes containing Nintendo Switch docking stations and power adapter sets, 23 boxes labeled Nintendo Cool Baby HD video game sets, and 33 boxes filled with Pokemon GO Plus accessories—all confirmed as counterfeit by authorities.

The District Attorney’s Office emphasized the scale of the operation, noting that the products were cleverly disguised as legitimate Nintendo accessories for the Switch and related gaming hardware. District Attorney Anne T.

Donnelly remarked in a formal statement that Lapidus is believed to have distributed "hundreds of thousands of fake Nintendo accessories for popular systems and games” through e-commerce channels such as Amazon.

She pointed out that, despite negative consumer reviews warning about imitation goods, total sales still climbed into the millions of dollars.

Donnelly underscored the risks involved with counterfeit electronics, stating that these fake products are “not just harmful to business—they can also pose real dangers to users, particularly when dealing with electronic components." Both Nintendo and Amazon became aware of the fraudulent activity following reports and consumer complaints attached to five separate Amazon seller accounts.

Subsequent investigations directly linked these accounts to Lapidus, leading to the warehouse search and the recovery of counterfeit goods. Cases like these serve as reminders of the persistent challenge posed by counterfeit goods in the gaming industry, particularly on major online retail platforms.

Nintendo, whose official products are available through its retail partners and the eShop, continues to safeguard its trademarks to protect both consumers and brand integrity.

Authorities urge consumers to purchase accessories exclusively from authorized retailers to avoid potentially dangerous and fake devices.

Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch Amazon Nintendo Switch accessories Switch accessories Isaac Lapidus Anne T. Donnelly Pokemon GO Plus Nintendo Cool Baby HD