Iraq Ninja
08-08-12, 11:49
Interesting outcome, and not unexpected at all.
Notice that ITAR violations played a big role, including the teaching of foreign nationals (Canadians). Even firearms training is regulated by ITAR and one must get approval to teach non US citizens. My recent talks with State indicate that there is an exception in the works for this, but it is not official yet.
RALEIGH, N.C. -- U.S. Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced the unsealing
of a bill of information and deferred prosecution agreement (DPA)
involving Academi LLC, formerly known as Blackwater Worldwide and Xe
Services, LLC (Academi / Blackwater).
In the agreement, the company admits certain facts set forth in
a bill of information and agrees to a $7.5 million fine. The agreement
also acknowledges and references a $42 million settlement between the
company and the Department of State as part of a settlement of
violations of the Arms Export Control Act and the International
Trafficking in Arms Regulations.
As the result of that investigation, the government has
brought 17 criminal charges against the company:
Counts One and Two allege violations of IEEPA based upon
Academi / Blackwater's export of Iridium Satellite phones and Crypto
Satellite phones to the Sudan in November of 2005, without the
authorization of the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury as required by law.
Counts Three through Six allege violations of the Arms
Export Control Act and the International Trafficking in Arms
Regulations, based upon several proposed or actual transactions as follows:
·Between Oct. 1, 2006 and Nov. 30, 2006, Academi / Blackwater proposed
to provide security services and a threat assessment, which included
defense services as defined by U.S. law, to the government of the Sudan,
without first having obtained a license from the U.S. Department of State;
·Between Oct. 1, 2006 and June 30, 2008, Academi / Blackwater provided
military training related to overseas military operations to military
and law enforcement personnel from Canada without first having obtained
a license from the U.S. Department of State;
·Between Jan. 1, 2006 and Dec. 30, 2008, Academi / Blackwater provided
technical and engineering data relating to the construction of armored
personnel carriers to personnel from Sweden and Denmark without
authorization from the U.S. Department of State as required by law;
·Between October 2004 and March 2006 the company exported ammunition and
body armor to Iraq and Afghanistan without first obtaining a license
from the U.S. Department of State as required by law.
Counts Seven through 12 allege violations of various
federal firearms laws as the result of the company's possession of the
listed automatic weapons without registration or permission.
And finally, Counts 13 through 17 allege that the company
falsely represented to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives that five firearms were owned by certain individuals when the
weapons had in fact been given as a gift to the King of Jordan and/or
his traveling entourage in June of 2005.
The entry of the DPA permits the company to resolve the
charges under conditions set forth in a contract with the government.
Here, the Department of Justice has entered into a DPA with Academi /
Blackwater, which acknowledges the company's efforts to reform its
conduct, provides for a period of supervision during which its
activities are monitored, and which requires the payment of a $7.5
million fine. In the agreement the company admits the violations set
forth in the bill of information, and the government acknowledges the
company's efforts to reform its conduct and to mitigate the damage
caused by that conduct. The agreement also acknowledges and references
a $42 million settlement between the company and the Department of State
as part of a civil administrative settlement of violations of the Arms
Export Control Act and the International Trafficking in Arms Regulations.
From:*USDOJ-Office of Public Affairs (SMO)
*Sent:* Tuesday, August 07, 2012 10:54 PM
*To:* USDOJ-Office of Public Affairs (SMO)
*Subject:* ACADEMI / BLACKWATER CHARGED AND ENTERS DEFERRED PROSECUTION
AGREEMENT
Notice that ITAR violations played a big role, including the teaching of foreign nationals (Canadians). Even firearms training is regulated by ITAR and one must get approval to teach non US citizens. My recent talks with State indicate that there is an exception in the works for this, but it is not official yet.
RALEIGH, N.C. -- U.S. Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced the unsealing
of a bill of information and deferred prosecution agreement (DPA)
involving Academi LLC, formerly known as Blackwater Worldwide and Xe
Services, LLC (Academi / Blackwater).
In the agreement, the company admits certain facts set forth in
a bill of information and agrees to a $7.5 million fine. The agreement
also acknowledges and references a $42 million settlement between the
company and the Department of State as part of a settlement of
violations of the Arms Export Control Act and the International
Trafficking in Arms Regulations.
As the result of that investigation, the government has
brought 17 criminal charges against the company:
Counts One and Two allege violations of IEEPA based upon
Academi / Blackwater's export of Iridium Satellite phones and Crypto
Satellite phones to the Sudan in November of 2005, without the
authorization of the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury as required by law.
Counts Three through Six allege violations of the Arms
Export Control Act and the International Trafficking in Arms
Regulations, based upon several proposed or actual transactions as follows:
·Between Oct. 1, 2006 and Nov. 30, 2006, Academi / Blackwater proposed
to provide security services and a threat assessment, which included
defense services as defined by U.S. law, to the government of the Sudan,
without first having obtained a license from the U.S. Department of State;
·Between Oct. 1, 2006 and June 30, 2008, Academi / Blackwater provided
military training related to overseas military operations to military
and law enforcement personnel from Canada without first having obtained
a license from the U.S. Department of State;
·Between Jan. 1, 2006 and Dec. 30, 2008, Academi / Blackwater provided
technical and engineering data relating to the construction of armored
personnel carriers to personnel from Sweden and Denmark without
authorization from the U.S. Department of State as required by law;
·Between October 2004 and March 2006 the company exported ammunition and
body armor to Iraq and Afghanistan without first obtaining a license
from the U.S. Department of State as required by law.
Counts Seven through 12 allege violations of various
federal firearms laws as the result of the company's possession of the
listed automatic weapons without registration or permission.
And finally, Counts 13 through 17 allege that the company
falsely represented to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives that five firearms were owned by certain individuals when the
weapons had in fact been given as a gift to the King of Jordan and/or
his traveling entourage in June of 2005.
The entry of the DPA permits the company to resolve the
charges under conditions set forth in a contract with the government.
Here, the Department of Justice has entered into a DPA with Academi /
Blackwater, which acknowledges the company's efforts to reform its
conduct, provides for a period of supervision during which its
activities are monitored, and which requires the payment of a $7.5
million fine. In the agreement the company admits the violations set
forth in the bill of information, and the government acknowledges the
company's efforts to reform its conduct and to mitigate the damage
caused by that conduct. The agreement also acknowledges and references
a $42 million settlement between the company and the Department of State
as part of a civil administrative settlement of violations of the Arms
Export Control Act and the International Trafficking in Arms Regulations.
From:*USDOJ-Office of Public Affairs (SMO)
*Sent:* Tuesday, August 07, 2012 10:54 PM
*To:* USDOJ-Office of Public Affairs (SMO)
*Subject:* ACADEMI / BLACKWATER CHARGED AND ENTERS DEFERRED PROSECUTION
AGREEMENT