Firms Found Liable in Sale of Counterfeits

A federal judge has ruled that two Southern California companies are liable for selling bogus copies of Adaptec Inc. computer products. The ruling paves the way for Milpitas-based Adaptec to seek damages against the two companies, Area Electronics Systems Inc. of Placentia and Priority Micro of Irvine, as well as at least five others in Southern California that did not contest accusations of counterfeiting made in a lawsuit filed by Adaptec last year. The judgment was delivered in U.S. District Court in San Jose, according to Adaptec spokesman Bruce Frymire. Adaptec, which makes products that connect computers and peripheral devices, plans to seek damages of more than $1 million in lost revenue, legal fees and other expenses, Frymire said.