Virginia Company Pleads Guilty to Arms Brokering

[OakRidgeStars]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,582414,00.html

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia —
A company in Virginia has pleaded guilty to trying to sell guns, night vision goggles and other military equipment to people in Yemen and Libya.

At a hearing Thursday in federal court in Alexandria, a representative for Taipan Enterprises Ltd. pleaded guilty to unlawfully brokering sales of military equipment.

The company was ordered to pay a $15,000 fine, the amount recommended by prosecutors. The company was never actually able to sell any equipment. Defense lawyer John Hundley said the small fine is evidence that the company's conduct was relatively minor.

The company's president said his contacts in Yemen were with a businessman. Court records show the company tried to sell Swiss-made machine pistols to a Yemeni national in 2007 and night vision goggles to Libya and a Chilean military contractor.

[flash2pablo]

Not good publicity for Virginia, even though it was a private company.

[zephyp]

Wow. A $15k fine and a relatively minor offense. I wonder what would happen if I got caught trying to just sell semi-auto ARs to someone in Yemen and/or Libya.

[OakRidgeStars]

I wonder what would happen if I got caught trying to just sell semi-auto ARs to someone in Yemen and/or Libya.

Good question, DK. Try it and let us know

[zephyp]

I wonder what would happen if I got caught trying to just sell semi-auto ARs to someone in Yemen and/or Libya.

Good question, DK. Try it and let us know

Right. We all know the answer to that one. The real question is would whatever federal institution I ended up in allow me to have Internet privileges? I guess justice is indeed blind...as a bat.

[Vahunter]

They should'a burned them a new rectum. 15K ?

[gfost1]

Howdy, Y'all,

Given the way our government normally treats someone who acts as stupidly as Mr. Papathanassiou, I would have to speculate that the government didn't have much of a case.

Regards,

George