A California woman was sentenced in federal court Tuesday after admitting she sold more than $92,000 in counterfeit Native American jewelry falsely marketed as authentic tribal artwork.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona say Molly Breivis sold jewelry imported from Asia through her eBay store between 2020 and 2024. She advertised the pieces as authentic work created by Apache, Laguna, Navajo and Zuni artists.
“Breivis undercut the livelihoods and traditions of these tribes and the integrity of their artists’ creative work and defrauded vulnerable customers,” Indian Arts and Crafts Board Director Meridith Stanton said.
Federal prosecutors alleged Breivis received two warning letters from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, through the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, notifying her that the sales violated the Indian Arts and Crafts Act. She ignored those warnings and continued selling the jewelry.
Breivis pleaded guilty to misrepresentation of Indian-produced goods. A federal judge sentenced her to time served, ordered her to pay a $10,000 fine and required her to publish a public letter of apology on the Indian Arts and Crafts Board website.
In the letter, Breivis acknowledged that her actions harmed customers, affected Native American artists and businesses that rely on authentic work, and undermined confidence in the market for genuine Native American jewelry.
