Why Diversion May Be the Most Underestimated Threat in Illicit Trade

In the first guest episode of Imitation Nation, we welcome Stephan von Schilcher of NovaVision, a second-generation brand protection expert who grew up around holograms, covert inks, and counterfeit detection and made it his career. 

Stephan has worked as a global career spanning woven security labels, RFID deployment, holograms, tamper-evident tape, cargo seals, and online brand protection.  From pallet theft in GPS dead zones to criminals cutting RFID antennas mid-transit, we explore how illicit actors exploit operational blind spots rather than just copying products. Stephan explains why layered security is the only sustainable strategy, and why rotating covert features keeps brands one step ahead.

Most importantly, we dive into diversion. While counterfeits grab headlines, diverted goods quietly erode pricing integrity, safety standards, and brand trust. Expired pharmaceuticals, gray market flips, and redistributed salon-only products may be genuine at origin, but once they leave authorized channels, all bets are off.

Learn more at novavisioninc.com.