A Miami Beach munitions dealer accused of defrauding the federal government is $4.2 million richer.What captured my attention besides the fact that the story is about one of my favorite subjects, is the fact that he's just 23 years old. I found a couple of other stories from almost a year ago when, apparently he became quite well known. It was last March when his business began to run into trouble for supplying inferior product to the Army. This from the HuffPo article of March 27, 2008, when he was 22.
Actually, the money already belonged to 23-year-old Efraim Diveroli. But the government froze it after Diveroli, his business, AEY Inc., and three co-workers were indicted last summer on charges of selling banned Chinese-made machine-gun rounds to the U.S. Army to supply allied forces in Afghanistan.
Intriguing, to say the least, is his age. I searched a few articles to find out if he'd inherited the business from his father and grandfather, perhaps it was a family business. That doesn't seem to be the case.With the award last January of a federal contract worth as much as nearly $300 million, the company, AEY Inc., which operates out of an unmarked office in Miami Beach, became the main supplier of munitions to Afghanistan's army and police forces.
Since then, the company has provided ammunition that is more than 40 years old and in decomposing packaging, according to an examination of the munitions by The New York Times and interviews with American and Afghan officials.
Since he was a boy, the grandfather said, Efraim Diveroli has known his way around weapons. "He's a genius about anything to do with weapons," the 72-year-old says. "Ever since he was a little boy, I would take him to gun shows and he could identify every model of guns. People would ask: How can he do that so young? He has a gift, I would tell them."
It is fascinating. Is there such a thing as a "genius" about guns, though, a person who has an innate gift about weapons? I would say young Efraim, who may lack some ethical standards, has a good bit of genius in business as well. What do you think?
Do you think there are many others like him? Are there arms dealers of all sizes and shapes, like there are drug dealers? Is that where the gun control focus should be rather than on the individual gun owners? Does a guy like Efraim also supply guns to the criminal world in America?
How do legitimate gun owners feel about him? Is he bad for the overall reputation? Or is he a champion to be admired?
What's your opinion?
The laws he violated were bullshit ones as far as I can tell from the linked articles.
ReplyDeleteAlso neat how the anti-gun huff-po knows a thing or two about military munitions.
I have a case of Bulgarian heavy-ball 7.62X54R right here in my Armory, right beside it I have a few clips left of another case of Hungarian ammo. Dates on the heads: 1950 and 1951. They look brand new, and shoot as well as the day they were made.
How I feel about this guy will depend on the court case. From the article he was dealing only in pre-ban weapons and ammo, but it also mentions defacing crates to hide nation of origin.
No matter what it's violation of a law I don't agree with. If we want am embargo from china I'm fine with that (despite the fact that the company I work with has a branch in China and I'd likely loose my job if such an embargo would happen) but don't pick-and-choose what goods can be traded. This ammunition could be used to supply our military forces and allies, and given that it isn't a few banned bullet-makes it could supply hunters, shooters, and private citizens with affordable ammunition.
One doesn't have to be, as you say, an 'anti-gun huff-po' to know that so-called government regulations and government 'over site' is hooey. That is the point of this post, WB, and one needs not be a 'gun-freak' to clearly see his point.
ReplyDeleteAwww was that an ad hominem, Trolly?
ReplyDeleteYou're so cuite! : ]
Funny how government regulations are hooey, unless they are the ones requiring the tax payers to support the "less fortunate", eh Mud?
ReplyDeletehe's a bad apple all right. he knowingly broke the law when doing business with the government, as evidenced by his deliberately trying to cover up that fact, and was found out when the goods he sold to the government were found to be substandard. a classic war profiteer, except apparently not smart enough to avoid justice or know he was going to be found out.
ReplyDeletethe laws he violated may or may not be "bullshit", but he damn well knew he was violating them yet went ahead and did it anyway, for profit. lock 'im up and throw away the key.
But at least let me offer a fair price on the ammo first.
ReplyDeleteWeerd- I notice that twice you have called me a troll. Is that your usual means of dealing with people to the left-of-center on the political spectrum rather than engaging them in real debate?
ReplyDeleteNope,just my way of dealing with trolls who have no interest in debate.
ReplyDeleteOf course you can prove me wrong by your own actions.
Good luck in spiting me that way! : ]
In other words, I should "Go to Hell!"
ReplyDeleteHe just doesn't get it.
ReplyDeleteColor me "unsurprised"
I look forward to future trolling from you, Muddy. I'm sure it's the best you can possibly do!
Weer'd, Please remember that Mud_Rake is my guest here just like you are, and as such he's entitled to say whatever he likes, just like you. Remember my "commenting policy?"
ReplyDeleteI'm curious about your attitude towards him, though. Does it stem for Mud's first appearance here when he was taunting Barb? Initially, as I remember, you seemed protective of her. But, right after that she went on those unbelievable rants about things I know you don't agree with. So, what gives? Are you still after Mud_Rake because of Barb?
Mud_Rake's first appearance here was as a troll following Barb. He has shown him self to be nothing but a troll here.
ReplyDeleteI'm simply calling him out to prove me wrong by actually adding to the discussion. He's so far shown he's incapable of doing so, so my accusation (for the time being) has been proven correct.
I in no way think he has no right to post here (or on my own blog which has an identical posting policy) but I'm just exercising my right to observe that he is nothing but a troll here.
As for Barb, I hold no loyalty to her, nor do I consider myself as somebody who agrees with her (frankly I don't know if a disagree with Muddy, as he has presented nothing but rude behavior her, so honestly I can't tell you the finer points of his socio-political views)
And in particular I disagree with her stance on the church, homosexuals, and her blanket view of Muslims...and frankly I find myself only skimming her longer posts.
I don't take kindly to your assertion that somehow my declaration of him being a troll has to do with a political difference...as with the exception of Bob S and maybe Sevesteen (who I can't comment as firmly on because of the amount of posts I've read from him...I should be reading his blog more), who he and I see eye-to-eye on the issues on an eerie level, I disagree on MANY issues with the majority of your commenters.
Thomas has also exhibited rude behavior here (and at my blog) but I have reserved labeling him a troll because he always seems to have a point to get across...just maybe not the greatest methods to communicate that. I'm glad he has his own blog now, it should be a great outlet for him, and so far a great place to read stories and his unique commentary.
Therefore, one might conclude, that Weerd exemplifies the model visitor to this blog. Apparently he knows best what are and what are not appropriate comments.
ReplyDeleteThat is always good to know. We need to follow the higher standards of others so that we, those of us who are neophytes in this blogging endeavor, know what is and what is not 'appropriate.'
I will look more closely, from now on, at Weerd's comments so that I can raise myself up to his standards, his level of debate, his intellectual and maturity level.
Hats off to you, Weerd, for helping me become a much better blog visitor.
My point again, Proven, Muddy! Troll on! It's fun for me too!
ReplyDelete