Twenty One Pilots sue Temu over counterfeit goods in federal court

Twenty One Pilots filed a lawsuit on September 9 in U.S. federal court against Chinese e-commerce platform Temu, accusing the retailer of manufacturing and selling counterfeit merchandise that infringes the duo’s trademarks, misappropriates their likeness, and constitutes unfair competition. The complaint, filed in the Northern District of California, includes dozens of side by side images of alleged knockoffs and cites listings for shirts, posters, mugs, socks, tote bags and other items that the band says closely mimic or duplicate official products.

The complaint alleges Temu’s listings create an implied relationship between the band and the marketplace, confusing fans and devaluing the Twenty One Pilots brand. One example included in the filing shows an official 35 Twenty One Pilots T shirt next to a substantially similar listing on Temu priced at 7.54, which the suit says undercuts the band’s business and harms consumers. The filing accuses Temu of “systematic” marketing and sale of goods that are confusingly or virtually identical to the band’s trademarked materials.

Lawyers for the band assert a broader pattern of misconduct by Temu. The complaint describes the company as...