Linglong booth raided at SEMA
On 29 October Federal Marshals raided Chinese tyre manufacturer Shandong Linglong’s stand at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show, according to a variety of news sources originating from reports by US magazine Tire Business. In what must be a first, even for the characteristically glitzy Las Vegas event, government officials confiscated the contents of the company’s exhibit as partial repayment of a $26 million court judgment against the company made in 2010.
According to the reports, the raid was precipitated by a complaint by Jordan Fishman, CEO of Florida-based Tire Engineering and Distribution L.L.C., which won the aforementioned court ruling against Shandong Linglong and Al-Dobowi Tyres Co. L.L.C in July 2010 following accusations of the theft of intellectual proprietary and specifically designs for underground mining tyres.
The $26 million ruling was actually a reduction of an earlier $59 million award that was subsequently overturned at appeal. Following the raid at the SEMA show Fishman’s attorney August J. Matteis told Tire Business that prior to his latest action he had not received a penny of the judgment.
According to the reports, Linglong’s exhibition stand, which included tyres, a computer and the construction itself will now be sold at a sheriffs’ auction.
Linglong representatives have been contacted for comment.
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