Mother-son duo charged for selling fake Italian olive oil for nine years

A mother and son have been indicted for allegedly selling a fraudulent olive oil blend for nine years, deceiving consumers into believing they were purchasing 100% Italian pure olive oil. Prosecutors are seeking significant prison sentences and the confiscation of substantial profits from the operation.

According to the indictment, Huang Yuexue, the head of Rongqi International Company, and her son Li Shangrong, head of Yuanle International Company, are accused of mixing small amounts of olive oil with large quantities of canola oil. They allegedly created fake labels stating "100% PURE Olive Oil" and "Origin: Italy," along with false nutritional information, to market the product. The scheme reportedly began in 2016.

To bolster the product's credibility, the mother and son allegedly imported small quantities of "Montello Olive Oil" from Italy in glass bottles towards the end of 2023 and 2024, using import documents to convince clients. However, the olive oil used in the mixture was cheaper Spanish olive oil, and the final product was not pure olive oil.

Prosecutors estimate that Rongqi and Yuanle companies generated over 16.45 million yuan and 20.2 million yuan, respectively, from the sale of the "Montello Olive Oil" product between 2024 and 2025. Their accomplice, driver Fu Shijie, who allegedly assisted in the mixing and packaging, received over 940,000 yuan in compensation. Prosecutors are requesting prison sentences of over five years for Huang and Li, citing their continued criminal activity despite previous food safety scandals, and are seeking the forfeiture of their illicit gains totaling over 37.6 million yuan.