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Major Export Enforcement Cases - Directorate of Defense Trade ...

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Radiation-Hardened Aerospace Technology to China – On Sept. 30, 2011, defendants Hong<br />

Wei Xian, aka “Harry Zan,” and Li Li, aka “Lea Li,” were sentenced in the Eastern District <strong>of</strong><br />

Virginia to 24 months in prison for conspiracy to violate the Arms <strong>Export</strong> Control Act and<br />

conspiracy to smuggle goods unlawfully from the United States, in connection with their efforts<br />

to export to China radiation-hardened microchips that are used in satellite systems and are<br />

classified as defense articles. Both defendants pleaded guilty to the charges on June 1, 2011. The<br />

defendants were arrested on Sept. 1, 2010 in Budapest by Hungarian authorities pursuant to a<br />

U.S. provisional arrest warrant. On April 4, 2011, they made their initial court appearances in<br />

federal court in the Eastern District <strong>of</strong> Virginia after being extradited from Hungary. According<br />

to court documents, Zan and Li operated a company in China called Beijing Starcreates Space<br />

Science and Technology Development Company Limited. This firm was allegedly in the<br />

business <strong>of</strong> selling technology to China Aerospace and Technology Corporation, a Chinese<br />

government-controlled entity involved in the production and design <strong>of</strong> missile systems and launch<br />

vehicles. According to court documents, from April 2009 to Sept. 1, 2010, the defendants<br />

contacted a Virginia company seeking to purchase and export thousands <strong>of</strong> Programmable Read-<br />

Only Microchips (PROMs). The defendants ultimately attempted to purchase 40 PROMs from<br />

the Virginia firm and indicated to undercover agents that the PROMs were intended for China<br />

Aerospace and Technology Corporation. The investigation was conducted by ICE and DCIS.<br />

Military Flight Simulation Technology to Iran – On Sept. 26, 2011, Chan Hok Shek was<br />

sentenced in the District <strong>of</strong> Massachusetts to 3 ½ years in prison for conspiring to obtain<br />

components for C-130 military flight simulators from the United States for delivery to Iran. On<br />

March 25, 2010, an indictment was unsealed in federal court charging Shek and two Malaysian<br />

nationals, Wong Fook Loy and Ngo Tek Chai, with conspiring to and attempting to illegally<br />

export munitions without the required licenses. According to the October 2008 indictment, Shek,<br />

a Hong Kong citizen, conspired with Loy and Chai, and others to cause the export <strong>of</strong> 10<br />

indicators servo tachometers used in C-130 military flight simulators from the United States for<br />

use in Iran. Shek was extradited from Hong Kong to face the charges against him in Boston. The<br />

case was investigated by ICE, BIS, and DCIS.<br />

Outsourced Manufacture <strong>of</strong> Military Items to China – On Sept. 13, 2011, Staff Gasket<br />

Manufacturing Corporation, a defense contracting company in New Jersey, was sentenced in the<br />

District <strong>of</strong> New Jersey to five years probation and ordered to pay $751,091 in restitution and an<br />

$800 special assessment. Eric Helf, Staff Gasket’s president was sentenced to three years<br />

probation, a $500 fine and a final order <strong>of</strong> forfeiture was entered for $49,926. On April 19, 2011,<br />

Staff Gasket pleaded guilty to Arms <strong>Export</strong> Control Act and wire fraud violations, while Helf<br />

pleaded guilty to one count <strong>of</strong> wire fraud. From Aug. 2004 to March 2006, Staff Gasket entered<br />

into contracts with the Department <strong>of</strong> <strong>Defense</strong> to provide replacement parts for use in military<br />

operations. Many <strong>of</strong> the parts to be supplied were critical application items and were thus<br />

required to be manufactured in the United States. Nonetheless, Staff Gasket contracted with<br />

foreign manufacturers, including in China, and many <strong>of</strong> the parts ultimately supplied to the<br />

<strong>Defense</strong> Department, including lock pins for helicopters, were made overseas, substandard, and<br />

failed in the field. As a result, Staff Gasket caused the <strong>Defense</strong> Department to sustain losses <strong>of</strong><br />

some $751,091 in connection with the fraudulent contracts. This investigation was conducted by<br />

DCIS and ICE.<br />

F-5 Fighter Jet and Other Military Items to Iran – On Sept. 12, 2011, Marc Knapp, <strong>of</strong> Simi<br />

Valley, California, was sentenced in the District <strong>of</strong> Delaware to 46 months in prison for plotting<br />

to illegally export fighter jet components and other materials to Iran. Knapp pleaded guilty on<br />

Jan. 13, 2011, to a two-count information charging him with violating the Arms <strong>Export</strong> Control<br />

34

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