Source:REUTERS/RODRIGO VALLE
[Saba Sports News] Recently, Lionel Messi’s company LMGM S.L.U. has sued shops on online sales platforms in New York, the United States, for selling counterfeit products under the Messi brand. It is reported that Messi’s company has filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against individuals and businesses operating stores on online platforms such as Temu and Walmart. Messi’s lawyers stated that the counterfeit Messi-branded goods sold by these online stores “cause confusion and mislead consumers” and that “the responsible parties seek to conceal their identities to avoid detection”. The court has accepted the case and ordered the temporary sealing of key exhibits to ensure the defendants’ identities are not made public. This is to prevent the parties involved from deleting their online store sales information or closing their bank accounts. Messi’s lawyers have requested measures to halt the continued sale of these counterfeit goods, including closing the online stores, blocking product advertisements, and shutting down the violating accounts.
The editor believes that under the U.S. Federal Trademark Act, Messi may also claim damages from the opposing parties, which could be three times the illegal profits, or a civil penalty ranging from $10 million to $20 million.