Kisha Smith

The Nipsey Hussle Estate has scored a court victory in its trademark infringement lawsuit as an Illinois judge granted a restraining order against e-commerce sites, operated out of China, for selling fake merchandise bearing the rapper’s name and likeness.

Back in September, the estate of the late rapper filed a lawsuit against online retailers who manufactured and sold unauthorized merchandise bearing the estate’s “Crenshaw” logo and other registered trademarks, stating that the infringement had caused irreparable harm to the product line.

The legal action—taken by Nipsey’s brother, Samiel Asghedom, who serves as administrator of the estate—sought the return of all profits garnered from the sale of the fake merchandise or a $2 million penalty for each trademark violation and that the online retailers be forced to shut down their domains to stop future sales.

The bootleggers reportedly stole several of the logos from Hussle’s Marathon Clothing line, including the “Crenshaw” and “South Central State of Mind” merchandise.

Ironically, the sales of the fake merchandise had been targeted to residents of Illinois, and not California, but was also sold online through Amazon, eBay and Etsy. Court documents stated that because of the tactics that the individuals and organizations used to conceal their identities and the full scope of their operation made it virtually impossible” to pinpoint their names as well as the logistical nuances of their alleged counterfeiting ring.

Meanwhile, the trial of Hussle’s shooter, Eric Holder, —which had been delayed by the pandemic—is now set to begin on March 1.