By the late 2000s, Von Dutch began to experience a rapid decline due to issues such as brand saturation and counterfeiting. In May 2004, Boswell, who resented Cassel and Vaughn for buying him out of the company just before it became successful, leaked to the press a letter written by Howard in 1992, in which the late artist made several racist and anti-Semitic remarks and professed admiration for Nazi Germany.[16] Despite Boswell having nothing to do with the clothing line, this letter destroyed what little popularity the company had left; by 2004, the fashion press had derisively nicknamed the brand "Von Douche".[15][17] Audigier left the company in 2007. In 2009, Sorenson sold the brand to French footwear company Groupe Royer.[18]