A federal judge has sentenced Mohammed Al-Abadi, a 52-year-old from Memphis, to two years in prison for trafficking counterfeit motor vehicle airbags and transporting hazardous material on an aircraft without declaring it as dangerous. The sentence includes two years of supervised release following the prison term. United States District Judge Mark S. Norris issued the order on April 30, 2025. The announcement was made by Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., Interim United States Attorney.
Court records reveal that between 2017 and 2021, Al-Abadi imported counterfeit airbag parts from China and assembled them into fake airbags. These were sold through eBay to auto repair shops and individuals at prices ranging from $100 to $725 each. Authorities intercepted a shipment of these parts, leading to the recovery of over 2,000 counterfeit items from Al-Abadi's home and business premises. Investigations showed he had sold more than 500 counterfeit airbags over four years and shipped at least one via airplane without proper declaration.
Rana Saoud, Homeland Security Investigations Nashville Special Agent in Charge, stated: “The importation of counterfeit automotive parts poses a significant safety threat to the American people, putting innocent consumers at serious risk of injury or death with the installation of these inferior airbags from China.” Saoud emphasized their commitment to disrupting such illegal operations.
Joseph Harris from the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General highlighted that “Counterfeit airbags are neither regulated nor tested to meet federal safety standards,” posing risks both during shipping and use by consumers.
Rodney Hopkins from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service remarked: “Mr. Al-Abadi put profit over safety in this case. Airbags are critical life-saving devices that are designed to protect consumers.”
Assistant United States Attorney Raney Irwin prosecuted the case with investigations conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Transportation-Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
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