Authorities seize nearly $100 million in counterfeit goods ahead of Super Bowl

Luke Barr/ABC News

(LOS ANGELES) — Homeland Security Investigations has seized nearly $100 million in fake goods, including counterfeit Super Bowl merchandise, ahead of Sunday’s big game, a top HSI official told reporters on Thursday.

HSI is the Department of Homeland Security’s investigative arm.

Steve Francis, who serves as the agency’s executive associate director, said at a press conference at the Los Angeles Convention Center that stealing intellectual property is not a “victimless crime.”

“The illicit proceeds resulting from the sale of counterfeit or unlicensed products are more often than not funneled back to smart other criminal organizations,” Francis said. “But more importantly,