Defendant Convicted of Defrauding Cisco Systems, Inc.

RICHMOND, VA—Iheanyi Frank Chinasa, 39, of Gaithersburg, Md., was convicted today by a federal jury of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud (one count); mail fraud (eight counts); wire fraud (one count); and obstruction of an official proceeding (one count).

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Michael Morehart, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after the jury verdict was returned today.

Chinasa faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $250,000.00 fine, full restitution, and three years of supervised release upon completion of any prison sentence for the conspiracy count, each of the mail fraud and wire fraud counts, and the obstruction of an official proceeding count, when he is sentenced by Chief United States District Judge James R. Spencer on May 5, 2011.

Chinasa, and his co-defendant, Robert Kendrick Chambliss, 31, of Henrico, Va., were indicted on Aug. 18, 2010. Chambliss pled guilty prior to trial to conspiring to commit mail fraud and wire fraud.

According to court records and evidence at trial, Chinasa and Chambliss engaged in a scheme to defraud Cisco Systems, Inc. As part of the scheme, Chinasa manufactured counterfeit computer networking and telecommunications equipment. He or Chambliss would then contact Cisco, falsely claiming that they were having trouble with a Cisco product covered by a warranty. Cisco would issue replacement parts, but its warranty required return of the allegedly defective product. Chinasa and Chambliss would send counterfeit product to Cisco to satisfy the return policy.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Michael C. Moore and Kevin B. Muhlendorf, Trial Attorney with the United States Department of Justice are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae/. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on http://www.pacer.gov/.