http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2010/01/20/fbi-arrest-sw-exec-and-20-others-at-shot-show/ An FBI agent posed as a representative of an Africa nation. An S&W executive (and others) attempted to bribe the government official. WASHINGTON, Jan 19 (Reuters) - An executive of Smith & Wesson (SWHC.O) and 21 others have been charged with violating U.S. bribery laws after an undercover sting in which federal agents posed as arms-buying representatives of an African defense minister. The defendants, including a senior Smith & Wesson sales official Amaro Goncalves, were accused of violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or FCPA, and conspiracy to commit money laundering tied to the sale of guns, body armor and other law enforcement equipment. [ Many thanks to Jeffrey for emailing me the link. ] UPDATE: S&W make a statement ... SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Jan 19, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Smith & Wesson(R) Holding Corporation (Nasdaq: SWHC), parent company of Smith & Wesson Corp., today made the following statement in response to Justice Department enforcement actions that were announced today regarding one of its employees. Through media reports today, we became aware of the Justice Department enforcement actions which were taken yesterday and which made reference to an employee of our company. We have no information beyond what has been reported and are prepared to cooperate fully with law enforcement in their investigation into this matter. http://www.thetreeofliberty.com/vb/showthread.php?t=90504 Obama Justice Department Decapitates Gun Industry: FBI Arrest 21 Gun Industry Executives in Las Vegas to Attend Gun Show Illinois Gun January 23, 2010 What’s being touted as the largest single investigation and prosecution against individuals in the history of the Justice Department’s enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act occurred Monday in Las Vegas. Since the election of Obama the main question for gun owners has been, “when will Obama come after the guns” The individuals arrested are executives and employees of military and law enforcement products companies that were in Las Vegas to attend the 2010 Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show (Shot show) and are charged with violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). The indictments allege that the defendants engaged in a scheme to pay bribes to the minister of defense for a country in Africa but the alleged sales agent was in reality an undercover FBI agent. The defendants allegedly agreed to pay a 20 percent commission to a sales agent who the defendants believed represented the minister of defense of an African country in order to win a portion of a $15 million sale to outfit the country’s presidential guard. The Las Vegas Sun is reporting the names of those arrested and the location of their companies as being; Daniel Alvirez and Lee Allen Tolleson, Bull Shoals, Ark., Helmie Ashiblie, Woodbridge, Va., Andrew Bigelow, Sarasota, Fla., R. Patrick Caldwell and Stephen Gerard Giordanella, Sunrise, Fla., Yochanan Cohen, San Francisco, Haim Geri, North Miami Beach, Fla., Amaro Goncalves, Springfield, Mass., John Gregory Godsey and Mark Frederick Morales, Decatur, Ga., Saul Mishkin, Aventura, Fla., John and Jeana Mushriqui, Upper Darby, Pa., David Painter and Lee Wares, United Kingdom, Pankesh Patel, United Kingdom, Ofer Paz, Israel, Israel Weisler and Michael Sachs, Stearns, Ky., and John Benson Wier III, St. Petersburg, Fla. One name on the list, Amaro Goncalves is reported to be a vice-president of sales for Smith & Wesson (SWHC) According to reports the arrest did not take place at the SHOT show but the FBI did use the show as an oportunity to bring all of the people together in one place for arrest. Needless to say with the recent incident involving the BATFE and the Texas Gun Show, this action by the Justice Department and the FBI is causing concern and confusion for patroits and gun owners nation wide. David Codrea of the Gun Rights Examiner is asking “why the mass arrests here and now”? One of the main comments from bloggers is “what’s wrong with paying a commission.” Since the election of Obama the main question for gun owners as been, “when will Obama come after the guns”? It looks like that question has been answered! Links of interest http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/jan/19/fbi-arrests-21-las-vegas-foreign-bribery-case http://www.examiner.com/x-1417-Gun-...Whats-going-on-with-SHOT-Show-sting?#comments http://www.examiner.com/x-1417-Gun-...d21-What-is-the-Foreign-Corrupt-Practices-Act http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_05/b4165000370242.htm
Here's the indictment documents: http://documents.nytimes.com/the-indictments/page/91#p=91 Anyone inside know what this is all about?
I was speaking with someone the other day who was commenting on the fact that crime seems to be exploding in the past few years. I countered that it is the information about crime that is exploding rather than crime itself. To prove the point, I related what had happen to me earlier in the week. Mike Sadlak was at the shot show and when I heard about the S&W arrests, I called him on Wednesday since he had a meeting scheduled with them their execs at the show. He hadn't heard anything about the arrests even though he was right there. My access to news online was greater than his on site.
Haha! "Foreign Corrupt Practices Act." No doubt created by our incorruptible government! THere should be a "Domestic Corrupt Practices Act" in which the majority of our government should be arrested and imprisoned. Seriously...talk about removing the beam from thine own eye!
FBI arrest S&W Exec and 20 others at SHOT Show. It pays to wear my glasses these days: At first I read it as: FBI arrest S&W Exec and 20 others shot at show.. Now that's a headline! I've got that Marty Feldman eyeball thing going on..... It's beyond description! You really do see things differently!
