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Florida man sold fake Yeti products at Will County Fair, deputies say

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A Florida man was arrested in connection with selling counterfeit Yeti brand products at the Will County Fair in Peotone Township, police said.

On Thursday, multiple attendees of the Will County Fair raised concerns to Will County Sheriff’s deputies about the authenticity of a Yeti tumbler being sold by Robin D. Perry, 72, of The Villages, at his Yeti booth, the sheriff’s office said.

Yeti is a Texas-based business that makes outdoor lifestyle products such as tumblers, mugs, coolers and other products, the sheriff’s office said.

Deputies inspected Perry’s products and became suspicious, the sheriff’s office said. The deputies launched an investigation of the products with an investigator from the Yeti company and a special agent from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The Yeti investigator noticed several fraudulent aspects of the booth and products, and the special agent bought two tumblers from Perry that were later confirmed as fake, the sheriff’s office said.

The special agent spoke with Perry, who showed the agent a fraudulent sign and certificate saying said he was an authorized dealer, police said.

Perry told the agent that he purchased Yeti products from China so he could offer them at a lower price, the sheriff’s office said.

Sheriff’s investigators spoke with Perry, who said he sold his products at several county fairs and made about $1 million in sales in the past three years, the sheriff’s office said.

Perry was charged with selling products with imitation trademarks.

Felix Sarver

Felix Sarver

Felix Sarver covers crime and courts for The Herald-News