Pre-trial release denied for 4 Italian nationals accused of running counterfeit electronics ring

DUPAGE COUNTY, Ill. (WGN) — Pre-trial release has been denied for four Italian nationals accused of operating a counterfeit electronics ring in DuPage County.

50-year-old Salvatore Derosa, 23-year-old Simone Signorelli, 49-year-old Vincenzo Demartino and 25-year-old Luca Demartino, all from Naples, Italy, have each been charged with possession of counterfeit items exceeding $500,000 in value with intent to sell, DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced Tuesday.

According to prosecutors, the charges were handed down after an investigation into a suspicious vehicle led officers to the four suspects.

Prosecutors said it all started on Wednesday, May 7, after Elmhurst officers were called to investigate a suspicious vehicle in the 400 block of North Oak Street just before 11:30 a.m.

Officers determined that Signorelli, who was driving a white Kia, had allegedly approached a person who was in their driveway in the area and offered to sell them a cell phone. Prosecutors said that after the person refused the offer, Signorelli allegedly drove off, but officers followed him to a home in Glen Ellyn.

Officers then began surveillance on the home after they determined that all four of the suspects allegedly resided inside.

The next day, on May 8, at around 9:35 a.m., officers allegedly spotted Vincenzo Demartino leave the home and drive to Roselle in a Jeep Compass.

Authorities followed Demartino and say he eventually approached two landscapers and offered to sell them fake AirPods for $50 or $60.

After the workers declined the offer, prosecutors said Demartino allegedly drove off before eventually trying to sell the fake AirPods to another landscape worker for $60, but the worker also declined.

Following the second attempted sale, authorities stopped Demartino to conduct an investigative stop on his Jeep.

After getting permission to search his vehicle, officers allegedly found several counterfeit electronics, including five Apple iPhones, five Apple Watches, nineteen Apple AirPod Pros, three Apple battery packs, one Apple iPad, two Apple AirPods Max, three Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Cell Phones and one Dyson hair dryer.

Demartino was then taken into custody, but authorities continued surveillance on the home.

Later the same day, just before 10 a.m., officers spotted Signorelli leaving the Glen Ellyn home carrying a black duffel bag before he drove off in the same Kia that was allegedly used the day before.

Officers followed him as he allegedly stopped at a home in Hanover Park before making his way back toward the Glen Ellyn home. 

Given that authorities had suspected Signorelli was involved in the incident the day before, officers stopped him in Glendale Heights. 

Signorelli provided authorities with permission to view the items in his car and during a search, officers allegedly uncovered a trove of counterfeit electronics, including two pairs of Apple AirPods Max headphones, five iPhones, one iPad, sixteen pairs of AirPods Pros, four Apple Watches, and two Samsung Galaxy S25s.

Signorelli was then taken into custody following the stop and search.

Prosecutors said officers returned to the home later that morning and spotted Salvatore Derosa as he allegedly left the home around 10:39 a.m. while carrying several bags, which he allegedly loaded into a Hyundai Tucson.

An Elmhurst officer pulled Derosa over and during the stop, the officer allegedly spotted bags full of what were purported to be Apple brand products in the back seat.

Derosa was then asked to step out of the vehicle and placed under arrest.

During a search of his Hyundai, officers said they allegedly found more than $45,000 in cash and numerous counterfeit items, including twenty-one pairs of AirPods Pro, four iPhones, five Apple Watches, one pair of AirPod Max, one iPad and three Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultras.

The fourth and final arrest came later that day when Luca Demartino was spotted leaving the Glen Ellyn home alone in a Nissan Rogue.

Officers conducted a traffic stop on Demartino’s car and during the stop, he gave officers consent to search the vehicle. During the search, officers allegedly found over $90,000 in cash.

Following the stop, Luca Demartino was taken into custody.

Prosecutors said in the end, authorities recovered 767 counterfeit items from the Glen Elyn home. In total, the counterfeit merchandise was estimated to be worth around $573,237.

“Counterfeiting is a serious offense which can have devastating effects on our local economy and leaves us all to bear the cost,” Berlin said. “Shoppers end up paying for inferior products, employers and businesses lose sales which can translate to lost wages and lost jobs which in turn can result in reduced economic investment in our communities. I would urge everyone, if you are going to be making any major purchases, particularly electronics, which can be small, but pricy items, please do so from a reputable merchant and not from someone who approaches you on the street.”

Derosa and Signorelli are set to return to court on June 2, while Vincenzo and Luca Demartino are set to return on June 17.