Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced a new lawsuit against body armor manufacturer ShotStop Ballistics from Stow, Ohio, for allegedly importing Chinese-produced plates and labeling them as “made in Ohio” and compliant with standards from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the Department of Justice’s testing arm.
The lawsuit stated that the alleged actions by ShotStop, its Vallmar Studios affiliate and owner Vall Iliev violated the Consumer Sales Practices Act (CSPA).
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Reports of the alleged scandal surfaced in May 2024 when the U.S. Department of Homeland Security warned the Akron Police Department that its SWAT officers were using counterfeit ballistic plates, according to Ohio television station WKYC. A police department spokesperson said it was his understanding that ShotStop was accused of providing the fake armor.
ShotStop had filed for bankruptcy about a week before the report.
Yost’s lawsuit stems from a cross-agency investigation regarding the allegations. In February, the DOJ charged Iliev with smuggling the armor and selling it to customers that included law enforcement from around 2017 to October 2023.
In May 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents at a Washington port of entry stopped a Canadian-registered truck transporting over 200 ballistic body armor plates in boxes from China. The agents found the boxes pre-labeled and addressed to Vallmar Studios.
Test results revealed that the plates did not meet NIJ standards for Level III protection, which can stop 7.62-millimeter FMJ lead core rifle ammunition. The company marketed the armor as Level III and IV.
According to the DOJ release, Iliev allegedly collaborated with a Chinese broker company to find cheap manufacturers to make the body armor. The DOJ said Iliev would tell his employees to attach the false labels before selling the products. The agency noted that ShotStop’s U.S. location had no means of producing the thousands of body armor plates that investigators found.
Yost’s lawsuit seeks restitution for consumers who purchased the defective bulletproof vests. The lawsuit noted that realizing the extent of consumer losses will require further legal discovery because of ShotStop’s bankruptcy filing and the federal government’s seizure of company records.
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WEBVTT
X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:0
00:00.200 --> 00:04.690
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced a new
lawsuit against body armor manufacturer
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ShotStop Ballistics from Stow, Ohio for
allegedly importing Chinese produced plates and
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labeling them as Made in Ohio and compliant
with standards from the National Institute of
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Justice, the Department of Justice's testing
arm.
00:16.079 --> 00:20.389
The lawsuit stated that the alleged actions by
ShotStop, its Valmar Studios affiliate,
00:20.440 --> 00:23.889
and owner Val Iliev violated.
Consumer Sales Practices Act.
00:24.190 --> 00:28.780
Reports of the alleged scandal surfaced in May
2024 when the US Department of Homeland
00:28.780 --> 00:33.220
Security warned the Akron Police Department
that its SWAT officers were using counterfeit
00:33.220 --> 00:36.750
ballistic plates, according to Ohio television
station WKYC.
00:36.819 --> 00:40.540
A police department spokesman said it was his
understanding that Shotstop was accused of
00:40.540 --> 00:43.540
providing the fake armor.
Shotstop had filed for bankruptcy about a week
00:43.540 --> 00:47.150
before the report.
Lawsuit stems from a cross-agency investigation
00:47.150 --> 00:48.150
regarding the allegations.
00:48.439 --> 00:52.790
In February, the DOJ charged Iliev with
smuggling the armor and selling it to consumers
00:52.790 --> 00:56.830
that included law enforcement from around 2017
to October 2023.
00:56.919 --> 01:01.959
In May 2023, US Customs and Border Protection
agents at a Washington port of entry stopped a
01:01.959 --> 01:06.629
Canadian registered truck transporting over 200
ballistic body armor plates in boxes from China.
01:07.139 --> 01:10.589
The agents found the boxes pre-labeled and
addressed to Valmar Studios.
01:10.750 --> 01:14.690
Test results revealed that the plates did not
meet NIJ standards for Level 3 protection,
01:14.879 --> 01:19.110
which can stop 7.62 millimeter FMJ lead core
rifle ammunition.
01:19.440 --> 01:23.199
The company marketed the armor as Level 3 and 4.
According to the DOJ release,
01:23.309 --> 01:27.919
Iliev allegedly collaborated with a Chinese
broker company to find cheap manufacturers to
01:27.919 --> 01:31.250
make the body armor.
The DOJ said Iliyev would tell his employees to
01:31.250 --> 01:34.069
attach the false labels before selling the
products.
01:34.160 --> 01:38.440
The agency noted that ShotStop's US location
had no means of producing the thousands of body
01:38.440 --> 01:40.279
armor plates that investigators found.
01:40.589 --> 01:44.839
Yo's lawsuit seeks restitution for consumers
who purchased the defective bulletproof vests.
01:44.959 --> 01:49.309
The lawsuit noted that realizing the extent of
consumer losses will require further legal
01:49.309 --> 01:53.279
discovery because the Shott's bankruptcy filing
and the federal government's seizure of company
01:53.279 --> 01:54.800
records.
I'm Nolan Bastein.
01:54.879 --> 01:56.000
This is manufacturing now.
