http://www.click2houston.com/news/14920413/detail.html December 24, 2007 RICHMOND, Texas -- Two men were charged with felony crimes, accused of scamming the military and other sensitive government agencies with counterfeit computer parts, Local 2 Investigates reported Monday. Federal agents said the phony computer equipment was sold to the U.S. Air Force, the Marine Corps, the FBI, Department of Energy and the Federal Aviation Administration. Two Richmond brothers are now facing felony indictments, charged with conspiracy and trafficking in counterfeit goods. Michael Edman, 36, and Robert Edman, 28, are due in court on Jan. 4 to face a federal judge. The indictment accuses the pair of registering a business name of "Syren Technology" and importing imitation computer cards and other components, passing them off as being manufactured by technology giant, Cisco Systems. The men are charged with importing cartons full of phony stickers with the Cisco Systems logo and attaching the stickers to imitation computer components. They are also accused of importing empty boxes with Cisco logos to package the equipment for shipment to the military and other agencies to make them appear to be the higher priced, legitimate product. Michael Edman declined to answer the door at his rural Richmond home, and he then drove away as a Local 2 investigative reporter tried to ask him for comment. Federal prosecutors have filed paperwork in court moving to seize his home and his ranch land, valued at nearly $500,000, according to Fort Bend County Appraisal District records. Neighbors reported seeing cartons of computer equipment coming and going from the house until agents from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency raided the home. Prosecutors could not be reached to comment on the indictment. Their indictment does not mention whether any of the questionable products failed after being shipped to the various military and other agencies. Other victims, according to the indictment, are federal prisons throughout the nation, a cable TV enterprise, and local government agencies on the West Coast. If convicted of the charges, the men could be sent to federal prison or they could receive probation. The younger brother could not be located for comment. Court papers said federal agents received much of their information, including specifics on shipments of the phony merchandise and payment amounts, from the seller of the counterfeit goods in China. That person is listed in court papers as an "un-indicted co-conspirator," and he does not face any charges at this time. __________________________________________________________________ Visit InfoSec News http://www.infosecnews.org/
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.3 : Mon Dec 31 2007 - 00:07:13 PST