10 Idaho residents indicted in counterfeit phone case

Ten people have been indicted on wire fraud, counterfeiting and money laundering charges in connection with an allegedly massive scheme to peddle counterfeit iPhones and other tech gear in the wake of FBI raids at several Boise-area businesses and homes.

The raids Wednesday morning involved agents from the FBI, IRS, Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Postal inspectors and were carried out at homes and businesses owned or associated with Pavel, Gennady and Piotr Babichenko as well as others.

According to the indictment filed in Boise’s U.S. District Court, the group is accused of selling counterfeit Apple and Samsung cell phones and gear on websites like Amazon and eBay.

Calls to some of the many businesses where the Babichenkos are listed as registered agents were unanswered.