You bought a second hand cartridge originally purchased from an unauthorized dealer - that's grey goods, second hand grey goods.
The responsible party is the person you bought it from not the manufacturer. You're lucky Turntable Needles agreed to exchange it.
I agree with fleib. Your problem is with the cat you bought the cartridge from. Not the dealer, who was unauthorized and especially not with Ortofon.
Good to hear Turntable Needles is stepping up to the plate though. Kudos to them as they don't have to.