The Department of Justice reports that a Jacksonville woman has pleaded guilty to conspiring to submit false export information through the federal government’s Automated Export System and to fraudulently export to China maritime raiding craft and engines in violation of U.S. law. She faces up to 15 years in prison for these crimes.
According to the DOJ, at the direction of co-conspirators in China the woman attempted to order from a U.S. manufacturer seven combat rubber raiding craft equipped with engines that can operate using gasoline, diesel fuel, or jet fuel. These vessels and multi-fuel engines are used by the U.S. military and can be operated after being launched from a submerged submarine or dropped into the ocean by an aircraft. No comparable engine is manufactured in China. When the U.S. manufacturer suggested that the woman purchase cheaper gasoline-fueled engines, she insisted that she wanted to purchase the military-model multi-fuel engines.
To induce the manufacturer to sell this equipment, the woman falsely represented that her customer was a Hong Kong entity rather than an entity in China. By misrepresenting what company was buying the equipment and where it was located, the woman caused the entry of false information in the Automated Export System in violation of federal law.
For more information about U.S. export controls, please contact export attorney Kristine Pirnia.
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