Manufacturers and legitimate retailers are typically very diligent in protecting their rights to their brands, logos, designs, etc. The illegal counterfeiting business has become a multi-billion enterprise around the world.

Many legitimate firms have sued to protect their rights. Coach — the luxury goods maker and retailer — recently won a huge legal victory against some counterfeiters. The question now is whether the verdict will be upheld and how the fines will be collected.

As reported by Mark Brohan, writing for Internet Retailer: “A federal court in Chicago has awarded consumer brand manufacturer Coach Inc. a $257 million judgment in a lawsuit against nearly 600 companies and individuals that Coach alleged were selling counterfeit merchandise with its trademark. On Friday [November 2], Judge Robert M. Dow Jr., for the United States District Court for Northern District of Illinois, Eastern division, signed the final paperwork that awarded Coach $200 million in statutory damages against the owners of 573 companies or individuals with Web sites that Coach alleged was selling knock-off Coach merchandise. Coach was awarded $2 million for each Web site that sold merchandise with a counterfeit Coach trademark and $57 million in additional damages.”

Click here to read more of Brohan’s story.