Efraim Diveroli is an American author and former arms dealer born on December 20, 1985, in Miami Beach, Florida. Prior to his meteoric rise to prominence, he had a rough beginning. He began drawing sizable popularity after he began supplying sophisticated weapons to the United States Department of Defence through his company AEY Inc.
Diveroli’s business with the US Defence department hit its lowest point after he was found to have supplied a substandard weapon to the department. The said weapon was a 42-year-old substandard and unserviceable Chinese ammunition which he tried to re-brand and re-package in a bid to defraud the Defence department.
Efraim and his business colleague David Packouz, who were 21 and 25 respectively at the time of the incident, were later found to have contravened the American arms embargo against China.
Following a review of the U.S Army’s contracting procedure, the pair was found guilty and Diveroli was sentenced to four years behind bars in the federal prison on January 4, 2011, while Packouz was sentenced to seven months house arrest.
Early Life and Age
The former arms dealer who was born on December 20, 1985, in Miami Beach, is the son of Michael Diveroli (father) and Ateret Diveroli (mother). He has two siblings whose names are not publicly known.
He was born and raised in an Ordothox Jewish family well-known for keeping all traditional Jewish laws. Doveroli’s grandfather, Yoav Botach, is said to be one of the richest property owners in Los Angeles while his uncle is no one but Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, a renowned American Jewish teacher, public speaker, TV host, and author.
Efraim Diveroli’s Relationship with David Packouz
The name David Packouz is as popular as Efraim Diveroli in the American arms dealing circle. An American musician, entrepreneur, and inventor, Packouz became Efraim’s partner in his arms-dealing business in 2005 at age 23.
Diveroli, who had a penchant for arms dealing from an early age, launched his career in March 2001 at age 16 after an argument with his uncle. He began operation with the company name AEY, Inc to pursue his arms trading interest.
The Miami Beach arms dealer started recording success not long after he launched the business, making so much money from contracts and deals. Efraim, as gathered, started trading in heavy arms in a one-room apartment in Miami which had just a laptop. He counted his first million at the age of eighteen. This feat was made possible by the number of contracts that were awarded to him from the American government contract website fbo.gov.
The financial help of Ralph Merrill, a co-worker at his former workplace, helped him in bidding on small contracts and beating out mega-corporations such as BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman, and Lockheed.
Following the steady increase in contracts and a track record of success, AEY, Inc. received a whopping $298 million contract from the Pentagon to supply ammunition and arms to the allied forces in Afghanistan.
Efraim Diveroli’s business, however, took a turn for the worst on March 27, 2008, when it was suspended by the U.S. government for violating the terms of its contract and was accused of providing ammunition produced in China to the Afghan National Army and police.
It was found that his company also totalled over $200 million in contracts to supply assault rifles, ammunition, and other weapons in 2007, leading to a review of its contracting procedures by the United States Army. The United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform found the arms he supplied to be “unserviceable”, revealing and accusing Efraim Diveroli of failing to act on numerous previous contracts.
While he was waiting for trial. Diveroli received a heavier blow when David Packouz and chief financier Ralph Merrill filed separate lawsuits against him, requesting for the money he owed them in connection with the weapons contract with the U.S. Defence Department. Unfazed by the lawsuits, Diveroli’s company Ammoworks kept selling arms until in late August 2008, when he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and was sentenced to fours years in prison for also possessing a weapon while out on bond.
In the long run, Efraim had his overall sentence reduced for being helpful during the investigation of the offence while David Packouz was sentenced to seven months’ house arrest for conspiring to defraud the American government.
Where Is He Now?
The Maima Beach arms dealer’s business may have met its Waterloo following Efraim’s convictions for conspiracy and felon in possession of a firearm and subsequently, his imprisonment but the American author is currently making his mark in the entertainment industry following his release in August 2014.
As for where Efraim Diveroli is now, he lives in Miami, Florida. In 2016, the popular Jewish director, Todd Phillips made Efraim and his business partner David Packouz the subject of his television drama-comedy film titled War Dogs. Jonah Hill portrayed Efraim and Miles Teller, David.
He has a memoir titled Once a Gun Runner. Written in prison by Matthew B. Cox, one of Diveroli’s fellow inmates in prison, the memoir talks about Efraim Daveroli being the youngest-ever international arms dealer.
Meanwhile, David works as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a music company called “Singular Sound”. He also presents his musical products to underprivileged youths in partnership with Guitars Over Guns organization.
