A federal judge ordered a Philadelphia jewelry manufacturer to pay Tiffany & Co. $600,000 for selling counterfeit Tiffany merchandise, the luxury retail jeweler said Thursday.

The Federal District Court in Philadelphia found that Katz Imports, and its principals Todd Katz, Howard Katz, and Stanley Katz “have engaged in fraudulent acts which directly led to willful and malicious injury to plaintiffs famous …trademarks TIFFANY and TIFFANY & CO. for jewelry.”

The court required the principals to pay Tiffany damages of $600,000, which Michael Kowalski, chairman and chief executive officer of Tiffany, said has been paid in full.

“We are pleased to have brought a halt to another group of counterfeiters,” Kowalski said in a statement. “It (the money) will go directly into the continuing efforts to thwart counterfeiters so that we can protect the public as well as our famous name and mark.”

Katz had sold counterfeit Tiffany jewelry on the eBay Web site under the name “Diamondpage” and through the website www.pennsylvaniadiamondexchange.com.

JCK