A Frenchman dubbed “the prince of fake” stands accused of orchestrating a sprawling network that flooded France with counterfeit watches.

 

Admitting to masterminding the operation from Thailand, Julien V confessed to overseeing the production of up to 10 counterfeit watches daily, predominantly knock-offs of the prestigious Swiss brand Rolex, culminating in a staggering turnover of 3 million euros (117 million baht) between 2019 and 2022, before his apprehension.

 

However, revelations from watch expert Michel Vittini suggest the scale of deception may be far greater, with estimates suggesting the Frenchman offloaded at least 50,000 counterfeit Rolexes, some virtually indistinguishable from the genuine articles. Astonishingly, Julien V boasted of tailoring his replicas to perfection, asserting he could craft timepieces completely real, or completely fake, tailored precisely to customer preference.

The allure of these high-quality fakes even drew the attention of Swiss watchmakers, prompting them to deploy private investigators to unmask the operation, according to French media reports.

Julien V’s modus operandi was sophisticated. He conducted business discreetly, accepting orders via WhatsApp and circumventing French customs by routing shipments through Germany before smuggling them into France via the porous border shared by the two nations.

 

At the heart of this illicit enterprise lies the Frenchman’s staggering wealth. Born in Nice in 1994, the former pizza deliveryman claims to have amassed a fortune by the age of 25, boasting a cryptic stash of 4 million euros in bitcoin, a fleet of luxury vehicles including a Lamborghini, and a portfolio of properties in Thailand.

 

Yet, behind the glitz and glamour lies a web of complicity. Co-defendant Florian R, a reseller in Julien V’s network, revealed the inner workings of the scheme, disclosing how he procured fake Rolexes for 200 euros and sold them for 400 euros, reported VN Express.

 

As the trial unfolds, Julien V, now facing off against legal adversaries representing half a dozen Swiss luxury watchmakers, maintains his innocence, choosing to represent himself in court. The verdict is scheduled for next Wednesday, March 20.

 

 

by Puntid Tantivangphaisal

Photo courtesy of Unsplash via VN Express

 

Source: The Thaiger 2024-03-14

 

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1 minute ago, webfact said:

A Frenchman dubbed “the prince of fake”

 

Bob ?????

I met a french guy in Pattaya talking about fake rolexes. He said that the guy usually parked his sportcar outside one of the clubs on walking street.

if he only could put his extraordinary abilities and 'gifts' for doing good things rather than being a criminal but i guess

there's no money in being good now days as being a criminal... 

rolex. who is buying these stupid over-priced watches?

especially in thailand where it's so easy to get laid. you dont need a fancy watch to impress anyone.

lol.

 

 

 

 

2019 to 22 ?! 😐  I bought my Bangkok Rolexs decades earlier. I must have got the cheaper fakes! Scammed again.

35 minutes ago, ezzra said:

if he only could put his extraordinary abilities and 'gifts' for doing good things rather than being a criminal but i guess

there's no money in being good now days as being a criminal... 

 

now days?

4 minutes ago, lexxy said:

 

now days?

My deepest and most sincere apologies: Nowadays...

Fake watches !

Who would have thought....

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Astonishingly, Julien V boasted of tailoring his replicas to perfection, asserting he could craft timepieces completely real, or completely fake, tailored precisely to customer preference.

But he chose the dark-side instead of carving out a legit niche market for himself... 

This article is so poorly written, it's hard to understand how he ran it from Thailand. The article says he oversaw production oof  watches, but later says they paid $200 and sold them for $400. 

1 hour ago, save the frogs said:

rolex. who is buying these stupid over-priced watches?

especially in thailand where it's so easy to get laid. you dont need a fancy watch to impress anyone.

lol.

 

 

It would appear plenty  people want them, real or fake. In fact the market has really gone hyper of late with second hand items commanding high prices and new items being resold above retail. 

I doubt it is all about getting laid in Thailand, rather silly of you to even suggest it. 

This is nothing. You just have to take a stroll in the Grand Bazar, Istanbul if you want an overwhelming fake experience. 

1 hour ago, save the frogs said:

rolex. who is buying these stupid over-priced watches?

Generally people who can afford it!

4 minutes ago, IamNoone88 said:

if you want an overwhelming fake experience. 

Watch a Thai smile!

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

My deepest and most sincere apologies: Nowadays...

i don't  he was criticising your grammar, I think  He questioning the accuracy of what you wrote.  ie, its always been the case that there was  more money to be made from using  ones skills for illegal endeavours. its not a modern anomaly 

53 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

It would appear plenty  people want them, real or fake.

$400 seems to be very fair.

"The finest Replica Watches China Has To Offer"

$200-$1,100 

https://www.replicawatcheschina.com

See also https://www.alibaba.com/

 

 

Don’t forget to mention.  This is this guy who beat a Thai dad on samui 

2 hours ago, save the frogs said:

rolex. who is buying these stupid over-priced watches?

especially in thailand where it's so easy to get laid. you dont need a fancy watch to impress anyone.

lol.

 

 

 

 

Yeah, how do you maintain the illusion when you walk out to the parking lot and get into a 2013 Toyota Corolla.

 

Highly doubt he's overseeing making them. More likely buying low quality fakes and making out like he's some gangster.

Prices range from couple of hundred quid to over a thousand quid for super clone ones where a watch dealer will struggle to tell difference unless they know the exact give away on a fake .

2 hours ago, ezzra said:

if he only could put his extraordinary abilities and 'gifts' for doing good things rather than being a criminal but i guess

there's no money in being good now days as being a criminal... 

Personally I can't suppress my admiration for him, from a Pizza deliveryman to a rich man with a fortune at 25 takes some doing. He isn't a violent criminal or a scammer screwing over the innocent, he supplied a product people want, naturally Rolex with their overpriced product don't like him, they scam legally.

3 hours ago, ezzra said:

if he only could put his extraordinary abilities and 'gifts' for doing good things rather than being a criminal but i guess

there's no money in being good now days as being a criminal... 

What 2 old men you got in mind? Are they Americans? And fight for presidency?

Only 1 example.....🙏

2 hours ago, save the frogs said:

rolex. who is buying these stupid over-priced watches?

especially in thailand where it's so easy to get laid. you dont need a fancy watch to impress anyone.

lol.

 

 

Nobody cares about watches anymore except collectors.

Looking on the bright side for anyone who buys a fake watch.

It will always give the correct time twice a day, when it dies 

28 minutes ago, fondue zoo said:

 

 

Yeah, how do you maintain the illusion when you walk out to the parking lot and get into a 2013 Toyota Corolla.

 

I have a real Rolex but when I bought it I drove a Fiat Uno - so what ?

Soon in Netflix 

You know you have been in Thailand too long when you have changed your watch for a calendar. 🤔

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Admitting to masterminding the operation from Thailand

 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

and a portfolio of properties in Thailand.

 

 

 

Thailand seems to be a magnet for criminals.

 

 

With all the high quality fakes around, any upstart can display a genuine brand watch but everybody will consider it a well imitated fake. Same for the logo branded apparel or leather goods. So no point.

Way back in 1991 I was travelling to KL frequently to buy fake Rolex watches for just $7 per piece and reselling them in retail chains for $30 per piece in Moscow, Russia. The business was booming. The suppliers in KL told me they were made in Thailand, probably somewhere at the Golden Triangle area.