Man Indicted for Fraudulent Online Sales of Counterfeit Native American-Made Goods

According to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release dated April 12, 2021, a San Antonio man, 58-year-old Kevin Charles Kowalis, was charged with four counts of mail fraud and four counts of misrepresentation of Indian goods under the Indian Arts and Crafts Act. Allegedly, Kowalis used e-Bay to sell fraudulent Native American-made goods on the internet when in reality, they were manufactured in the Philippines.

Edward Grace, Assistant Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement, said in the release, “Native American art fraud is a serious crime that hurts consumers and severely impacts the economic and cultural livelihood of Native American artists, craftspeople and Tribes. Our special agents investigate crimes in violation of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act on behalf of the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Indian Arts and Crafts Board. By working together, we can help protect and preserve Native American art and craftwork for future generations.”

Kowalis allegedly labeled the items as “Native American Indian Handmade,” “Zuni,” “Navajo,” and “genuine Indian handcrafted” and used PayPal as a form of payment. Furthermore, he allegedly shipped the counterfeit Native American jewelry through the U.S. Postal Service.

Indian Arts and Crafts Board Director Meridith Stanton explained, “The Indian Arts and Crafts Board is responsible for the Indian Arts and Crafts Act, which makes it a crime to sell counterfeit Indian art and craftwork.  The Board is committed to protecting the integrity of Indian art.  Texas has a vibrant Indian art market and we want consumers to have confidence that they are purchasing authentic work.”

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has an important role in protecting tribal and Native American goods. The Service’s Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) supports Native Americans and Alaska Natives in numerous ways, such as training tribal conservation law enforcement officers, assisting with criminal investigations, providing eagle feathers and parts for use in religious ceremonies, supporting subsistence hunting, and enforcing federal laws that protect Native American culture such as the Marine Mammal+ Protection Act, Archeological Resources Protection Act, and the Indian Arts and Crafts Act (IACA).