NY Tech Firm Sold Chinese Equipment to U.S. Military after Falsely Claiming It was American-Made

National Review ^ | November 7, 2019 | Zachary Evans

[LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget]

A Long Island tech firm sold Chinese equipment to the U.S. military while fraudulently claiming the products were American-made, according to New York’s NBC 4.

Federal agents arrested six current and former executives and employees of Aventura Technologies on Thursday morning, and subsequently raided the company’s headquarters. Agents representing the FBI, Customs, the IRS and other agencies were seen carrying out the raid.

The suspects are expected to appear in Brooklyn federal court.

“As alleged, the defendants falsely claimed for years that their surveillance and security equipment was manufactured on Long Island, padding their pockets with money from lucrative contracts without regard for the risk to our country’s national security posed by secretly peddling made-in-China electronics with known cyber vulnerabilities,” United States Attorney Richard Donoghue said in a statement.

Company representatives did not return National Review‘s request for comment in time for publication.

The allegations against Aventura Technologies are raising fears about the materials the company sold to the U.S. military, which are currently in use in the navy and other military branches. 1

Aventura describes itself as a “designer, developer and manufacturer” of security hardware and software products for “government, military and enterprise.” The company offers cameras and other hardware for video surveillance, face recognition and artificial intelligence software, and a variety of X-ray and scanning equipment, among other products.

The raid comes at a time of rising tensions between the U.S. and China. At a Senate subcommittee hearing on Tuesday, Senator Josh Hawley (R., Mo.) criticized tech companies Apple and TikTok for being “two sides of the same coin when it comes to data security: the danger of Chinese tech platforms’ entry into the U.S. market, and the danger of American tech companies’ operations in China.”

[Zhang Fei]

https://abc7ny.com/prosecutors-li-security-company-used-fake-made-in-usa-labels/5678852/

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[In addition to Aventura, the defendants charged in the complaint are:
—Jack Cabasso, Aventura’s Managing Director and de facto owner and operator
—Frances Cabasso, his wife and Aventura’s purported owner and Chief Executive Officer
—Senior executives Jonathan Lasker, Christine Lavonne Lazarus and Eduard Matulik
—Current employee Wayne Marino
—Recently retired employee Alan Schwartz.

Federal prosecutors say Jack Cabasso “masterminded a 13-year international fraud conspiracy” and that due to a “lengthy criminal history,” he made his wife CEO though she was only in charge on paper and also works part time at a Long Island accounting firm.]

[Sequoyah101]

So, why didn’t the gubment and military contract managers ask to see the factory? What is their role in this kind of fraud? Did a little deeper and you may find some more pay dirt.

[JoeFromSidney]

Strange. Back when I was on active duty, we used to inspect plants to assure that the stuff was actually made there, and used American-made components. My wife was unhappy that I spent so much time on the road, but we made sure the stuff was made right.

[no-to-illegals]

This is SOP Follow money to congress

[no-to-illegals]

More corruption..... Less money in bribes

[StolarStorm]

Payola to some Obama hold out probably..

[Carl Vehse]

We need to bring back flogging as the punishment for convicted company executives.

[originalbuckeye]

13 years? Right back to the beginning of the Obama Admin. I feel badly for Trump......so much leftover corruption that he hardly has time to catch his breath! Now, it needs to be ferreted out if any of the muckety mucks at the tops of our Military Branches have been on the take! NOW!

[Zhang Fei]

[We need to bring back flogging as the punishment for convicted company executives.]

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Cabasso used to be a key player in a boiler room stock manipulation scheme:
https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/stories/2001/03/19/story3.html

[indthkr]

Probably the tip of the iceberg when it comes to government contractors during the Clinton and Obama years

[fella]

It is New York.

What did you expect?

[reed13k]

Doesn’t the DOD do supplier audits anymore?

What the H-E - double hockey sticks!

[oldtech]

Maybe the American public could vote on the appropriate punishment in the next election. Just add that little item to the ballot. I kind of like caning myself.

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

Execute the greedy traitors. They have endangered our troops and national security. Treat them just like any other enemy saboteur.

[Colt1851Navy]

Firing squad volunteer here, you can count on me to shoot straight.

[LegendHasIt]

Probably A Clinton, a Biden and/or an 0bama .... Or a Schiff, or a Pelosi, or a Nadler, or a Feinstein etc. as stockholders, or maybe on the Board of Directors.

[Retvet]

Figures it’s aNee Gork company. Must look st their judges and politicians.

[Does so]

I kind of like caning myself.

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It’s much gentler that way.

;)

[Ozark Tom]

RINO Senator Shelby, head of the Appropriations Commitee?