F1 sues Las Vegas wholesalers over counterfeit merchandise

Formula One is suing a Las Vegas souvenir wholesaler claiming they produced and sold counterfeit merchandise leading up to the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix.

F1 claims that E & B Wholesalers Inc., located on the 5500 block of Valley View Boulevard, produced 516 knockoff items in the five months ahead of the 2023 race, featuring trademarks held by Formula One, according to the lawsuit filed Tuesday in Clark County District Court.

E & B sold those items, which included T-shirts and hooded sweatshirts, to four businesses in the Las Vegas Valley, the lawsuit claims. Bonanza Gift Shop, Travel Suites, Las Vegas Souvenirs and Gifts and Higuchi Development purchased a total of $2,660 worth of fake F1 gear from E & B ahead of the 2023 grand prix, according to court documents. The retails stores are not named in the lawsuit.

F1 claims E & B deceived the retail buyers and customers of those Las Vegas Valley stores. The lawsuit also claims selling counterfeit merchandise tarnishes the F1 brand and undermines the investment they put into hosting the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Formula One is asking a judge to bar E & B from again producing any F1 branded merchandise while seeking damages including three times the amount of profits E & B made off the gear, along with attorney’s fees and other costs related to court proceedings and interest.

An employee of E & B said the owner was not available and did not offer comment on the lawsuit when reached via phone Wednesday morning.

The first court hearing for the case is set for Aug. 11.

Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X.