Mission
For more than two decades, the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center has led the government's actions that combat global intellectual property theft and enforce trade laws. Comprised of federal agencies, international law enforcement, academia, and private sector partners, the IPR Center develops initiatives, coordinates enforcement actions, and shares information related to intellectual property theft and trade fraud. The center was established to address the theft of innovation that threatens economic stability and places the public’s health and safety at risk. The IPR Center, where Protection is our Trademark.
Overview
The National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, or IPR Center, shares critical information and raises awareness about the dangers of IP theft, fraud, cyber intrusions, and trade violations.
The IPR Center is a major component of Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) Global Trade Division (GTD), which oversees and supports investigations of crimes involving intellectual property (IP) and violations of U.S. import and export laws related to trade fraud and counterproliferation.
The IPR Center coordinates with dozens of federal and international government agencies and organizations, as well as private sector partners, to combat IP theft globally.
This collaboration is driven by three major elements:
Health & Safety
Counterfeit goods are often substandard products that pose health and safety risks to consumers.
Economy
IP theft erodes returns on innovation, causes job losses and deteriorates legitimate tax revenue bases.
National Security
Counterfeit products that infiltrate authorized supply chains it directly affect our military’s readiness.
BY THE NUMBERS
Intellectual property theft and commercial fraud for fiscal year 2023
623
Cases initiated
434
Criminal Arrests
327
Indictments
206
Convictions
2,444
Seizure Incidents
$1.11B
MSRP of IP Theft/Comm Fraud Seizures
Leadership Team
Ivan J. Arvelo
Director, National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center
Arvelo is currently the Director of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center. In this position, he manages the federal government’s response to combat global intellectual property theft, protect national security, and ensure public health and safety. As a decorated federal law enforcement agent and civil servant, Mr. Arvelo has served and protected communities around the world for more than 24 years. He is a senior executive service member, spearheading transformational investigative efforts within Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Brandon Lord
Deputy Director, National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center
Mr. Lord serves as the Executive Director of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Trade Policy and Programs directorate and is responsible for policy, enforcement priorities, and stakeholder outreach related to CBP’s Priority Trade Issues. He also oversees CBP’s 21st Century Customs Framework initiative and two ongoing pilots the Section 321 Data Pilot and the Entry Type 86 test that cover de minimis/e-Commerce shipments. Mr. Lord also directs teams responsible for the implementation, enforcement, and stakeholder communications related to Section 201, 232, and 301 trade remedies.
Jeremy Capello
Deputy Director, National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center
Supervisory Special Agent Jeremy Capello is the Unit Chief of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Economic Crimes Unit, which encompasses all Intellectual Property Rights matters. Mr. Capello also serves as the FBI’s Deputy Director at the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, where the FBI’s IPR unit is located. He provides strategic direction and oversight for the FBI’s IPR program which is composed of theft of trade secrets, trademark and copyright infringement, and counterfeit goods impacting health and safety.
Michael Ball
Deputy Director, National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center
Michael Ball is the Deputy Director of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, where he shares in the responsibility for directing the federal government’s response to combat global intellectual property theft, intellectual properties rights violations, and public health and safety concerns. He has also served as the division chief for the intellectual property unit.