Duke University has initiated legal action against a group of online sellers accused of trafficking counterfeit goods through popular e-commerce platforms such as Temu, AliExpress, and similar marketplaces. The university alleges that these sellers are offering products that infringe upon Duke’s trademarks, describing the items as “unauthorized, inauthentic, infringing, and counterfeit.”
The lawsuit, filed this week in a federal district court in Illinois, was authored by attorney Gouthami V. Tufts and legal colleagues from the law firm Sullivan & Carter. In the complaint, Duke claims that the sellers are unlawfully profiting from the university’s brand by distributing counterfeit merchandise to U.S. consumers, primarily through major international online platforms.
While the identities of the alleged counterfeiters remain unknown at this time, Duke states in the lawsuit that the defendants are believed to reside in the People’s Republic of China or other foreign jurisdictions. According to the university, these sellers are deliberately concealing their identities and locations to evade legal accountability.
The complaint describes a sophisticated and opaque operation designed to avoid detection. The defendants are accused of employing various tactics to mask their identities, including the use of multiple digital storefronts, false addresses, and pseudonyms. Duke also alleges that the sellers operate behind layers of complex financial infrastructure, using intermediaries such as PayPal and eBay’s payment systems. These financial layers, combined with offshore banking accounts, allegedly allow the defendants to move profits while remaining shielded from U.S. legal authorities.
Duke University asserts that these counterfeit operations not only harm its reputation but also deceive customers into purchasing inferior, unlicensed goods. The complaint highlights how such counterfeit sales undermine Duke’s brand integrity and dilute the value of its registered trademarks. In addition, the university contends that this activity causes significant economic harm, not only to Duke itself but also to legitimate licensees and merchants who comply with intellectual property laws.
The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief to stop the defendants from continuing their alleged activities and demands that the counterfeit listings be removed from all relevant platforms. Duke is also pursuing monetary damages, including the seizure of any financial proceeds derived from the sale of the counterfeit items.
This legal move by Duke University reflects a broader trend of U.S.-based institutions taking proactive steps to protect their intellectual property in the digital age. With the rise of global e-commerce platforms and the increasing sophistication of online counterfeit operations, organizations like Duke are ramping up efforts to hold bad actors accountable—particularly those operating beyond the borders of U.S. jurisdiction.
As the case progresses, it may serve as a litmus test for how American institutions can confront the growing challenge of online counterfeiting, especially when the perpetrators are difficult to identify and operate from international territories.