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Former Mexican goalkeeper Pedro Hernandez-Calderon charged in Texas over $5.4M counterfeit luxury watch trafficking

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas announced on 10 November 2026, and FOX 26 Houston reported, that Pedro Hernandez-Calderon, 45, a Mexican citizen and former professional goalkeeper for clu…

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Source: justice.gov · published

U.S. Attorney's Office evidence photos of seized counterfeit luxury watches with exhibit tags
Image: U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Texas

What happened

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas announced on 10 November 2026, and FOX 26 Houston reported, that Pedro Hernandez-Calderon, 45, a Mexican citizen and former professional goalkeeper for clubs including Atlas, Santos Laguna and Necaxa, has been charged in a federal criminal complaint with trafficking counterfeit luxury watches. Prosecutors allege he ran an import-export business that received counterfeit watches at Laredo addresses and shipped them to buyers in Mexico. According to the complaint, the investigation began on 5 October when authorities in Anchorage, Alaska, seized four fake watches bound for a Laredo warehouse, and multiple shipments were identified between June 2025 and October 2026 that would have been worth more than $5.4 million if genuine. Representatives of luxury watchmakers confirmed seized samples were fake; those brands are spoofed and not involved. He remains in custody; these are allegations, and he faces up to 10 years in prison and a $2 million fine if convicted.

How the scam works

These are allegations in a federal criminal complaint, and Hernandez-Calderon has been charged, not convicted. Prosecutors allege he ran an import-export business that received counterfeit watches at Laredo addresses and shipped them to buyers in Mexico. According to the complaint, the investigation began on 5 October when authorities in Anchorage, Alaska, seized four fake watches bound for a Laredo warehouse, and multiple shipments were identified between June 2025 and October 2026 that would have been worth more than $5.4 million if genuine. Representatives of luxury watchmakers confirmed seized samples were fake; those brands are spoofed and are not involved.

He remains in custody and faces up to 10 years in prison and a $2 million fine if convicted. Buyers of high-value watches should be cautious of import channels and prices that are far below the authorised market, and should have items authenticated through the brand's official process.

Source

U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Texas, 10 November 2026: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/pr/former-mexican-soccer-player-charged-54m-international-counterfeit-watch-trafficking

https://x.com/USAO_SDTX/status/2120210429255557470

https://www.fox26houston.com/news/former-mexican-soccer-goalkeeper-charged-south-texas-trafficking-5-4m-counterfeit-luxury-watches

Red flags

  • Luxury watches offered through unofficial import channels at prices far below the authorised market.
  • Sellers who cannot provide authentic warranty papers or brand verification.
  • Shipments of high-value watches routed through unexpected warehouses or addresses.
  • Pressure to pay quickly, including by methods that are hard to reverse.

If you were targeted

  1. 1These are allegations in a charging document; the defendant has not been convicted in the cited coverage.
  2. 2Have high-value watches authenticated through the brand's official process.
  3. 3Be cautious of unofficial import channels and prices that look too good to be true.
  4. 4If you think you bought a counterfeit, contact the seller's platform and, if needed, law enforcement.
  5. 5Keep invoices, tracking and photographs of the item.
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