Amazon and Procter & Gamble (P&G) have filed a federal lawsuit against a group of Chinese individuals and businesses accused of selling counterfeit flying insect traps on Amazon’s marketplace. The lawsuit, filed in Washington federal court, claims that the defendants used P&G’s trusted Zevo brand to sell fake products, violating Amazon’s policies and trademark laws. The complaint names three individuals, Yangze Hu, Yeuquan Li, and Xiaowei Chen, as well as several unidentified associates and entities.
According to the lawsuit, the defendants created a sophisticated counterfeit operation, using legitimate-sounding storefronts to sell fake Zevo-branded insect traps. They allegedly registered on Amazon in 2016, but between June 2024 and February 2025, they promoted and distributed the counterfeit products through their Jomspo E&C storefront without authorization. Amazon and P&G claim that the defendants knowingly accepted Amazon’s Business Solutions Agreement, which prohibits counterfeit sales and deceptive behavior, but still used the platform to sell fake products.
The lawsuit compares the defendants’ tactics to counterfeiting currency, where fake bills are mixed in with legitimate ones. In this case, the counterfeit insect traps were designed to mimic P&G’s genuine products, making it difficult for customers to distinguish between real and fake products. Amazon and P&G are seeking to hold the defendants accountable for their actions, which they claim have caused harm to their brands and customers.
The lawsuit highlights the ongoing problem of counterfeiting on e-commerce platforms, where fake products can be easily listed and sold to unsuspecting customers. Amazon has been working to crack down on counterfeiting, but the problem persists. The case against the Chinese individuals and businesses is a significant step in the company’s efforts to protect its customers and partners from fake products. The outcome of the lawsuit will be closely watched, as it could set a precedent for future cases involving counterfeiting on e-commerce platforms.