A jury found wholesale clothing importer C'est Toi Jeans and two of its executives guilty of avoiding over $8 million in customs duties on apparel entries, and laundering and failing to report over $17 million in proceeds from cash transactions, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California announced. The two executives are Si Oh Rhew, president of the company, and his son, Lance Rhew.
Jacob Kopnick
Jacob Kopnick, Associate Editor, is a reporter for Trade Law Daily and its sister publications Export Compliance Daily and International Trade Today. He joined the Warren Communications News team in early 2021 covering a wide range of topics including trade-related court cases and export issues in Europe and Asia. Jacob's background is in trade policy, having spent time with both CSIS and USTR researching international trade and its complexities. Jacob is a graduate of the University of Michigan with a B.A. in Public Policy.
The Commerce Department reasonably interpreted the Trade Act of 1930 to pause antidumping and countervailing duties on solar cells and modules from four Southeast Asian countries, the government told the Court of International Trade on Oct. 29. Responding to U.S. solar cell maker Auxin Solar and solar module designer Concept Clean Energy, the U.S. said the two companies' arguments belie "Congress' broad delegation of rulemaking authority" to respond to an emergency found by the president (Auxin Solar v. United States, CIT # 23-00274).
The Court of International Trade on Oct. 30 referred a customs penalty suit against importer Katana Racing to mediation under Judge Jennifer Choe-Groves. The judge overseeing the case, Lisa Wang, said the mediation period will expire March 17 unless Choe-Groves recommends an extension (U.S. v. Katana Racing, CIT # 19-00125).
Exporter CVB voluntarily dismissed its appeal on Oct. 29 at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on the International Trade Commission's affirmative injury finding on mattresses from various Asian countries (CVB v. U.S., Fed. Cir. # 24-1504).
The Transportation Department doesn't have "vested authority" to determine whether to admit entries of goods based on whether they comport with federal safety standards, the Court of International Trade held on Oct. 30. Judge Lisa Wang said that, as a result, CBP has the relevant admissibility authority and the trade court can hear the case.
The following lawsuits were recently filed at the Court of International Trade:
International trade attorney Robert Seely is retiring after nearly 23 years at Grunfeld Desiderio as of counsel, the firm confirmed in an email. Seely joined the firm in its New York office in 2002, working on securing duty refunds and customs classification matters.
Sally Laing, former chief international trade counsel for Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and the Senate Finance Committee, returned to Akin, the firm announced. Laing rejoined the firm as an international trade partner after working in the Senate and also as assistant general counsel in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. She started her career as a summer associate, international trade associate and counsel at Akin.
The Commerce Department continued to include importer Elysium Tiles' composite tile within the scope of the antidumping and countervailing duty orders on ceramic tile from China. Submitting remand results to the Court of International Trade on Oct. 29, Commerce said that the imports' marble top layer doesn't remove the tile from the scope of the orders, which covers "ceramic tile with decorative features" (Elysium Tiles v. United States, CIT # 23-00041).
The Commerce Department on Oct. 28 continued to reject separate rate status for exporters Mayrun Tyre (Hong Kong), Shandong Hengyu Science & Technology Co., Winrun Tyre Co., Shandong Wanda Boto Tyre Co. and Shandong Linglong Tyre Co. in the 2016-17 review of the antidumping duty order on passenger vehicle and light truck tires from China (YC Rubber Co. (North America) v. U.S., CIT # 19-00069).