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U.S. Suspends Contract Of Local Arms Dealer

22-Year-Old Allegedly Purchasing Ammunition From Albania

POSTED: Friday, March 28, 2008

A 22-year-old Miami Beach man and his small company are now under the scrutiny of the federal government after allegations that he was selling arms and ammunition, possibly obtained illegally, to fulfill military contracts.

Efraim Diveroli, president of AEY Inc., has supplied thousands of guns and millions of rounds of ammunition to the Afghan army and police, and more rifles to Iraqi forces, under lucrative contracts with the Pentagon.

But those contracts -- worth about $200 million -- were suspended Thursday after allegations that the ammunition was as much as 50 years old and made in China, violating United States contracting laws.

Diveroli allegedly bought the ammunition from Albania, which he has visited, according to his grandfather. Albania's munitions are old and unstable, as evident when 22 people died after a munitions depot there exploded earlier this month.

"The kid is dedicated and patriotic," Diveroli's grandfather, Angelo, told Local 10 senior political reporter Michael Putney via telephone. "He's all over the world getting what the military needs. The big corporations are jealous, so they want to destroy him."

First, those corporations would have to find him.

AEY Inc. is not listed as one of the tenants in the building where the company has an office. Evidently, that's in keeping with Diveroli's secret operating style.

At the Surfside condominium listed as Diveroli's address, a woman there answered a call placed by Local 10 but quickly hung up.

Diveroli has had previous run-ins with the law. He was accused of beating up a parking valet in 2006, but he entered a pre-trial diversion program to avoid having a criminal record.

His grandfather told Local 10 that Diveroli is currently in Turkey or Albania purchasing arms.
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