US settles with defense contractor

[maddezmom]

Source: Montgomery Advertiser

US settles with defense contractor
The Associated Press • August 14, 2010

HUNTSVILLE -- The federal government agreed to pay $290,000 to an Alabama defense contractor who claimed wrongful prosecution after he was acquitted three years ago on criminal charges of sending defense secrets to China.

Alex Latifi's company, Axion Corp., also is back doing business with the U.S. government.

The settlement ended a long legal struggle for Latifi, an Iranian-born U.S. citizen. The government claimed he sent classified information to China about the design of the Blackhawk helicopter and also faked testing on government-contracted work.
Defense attorney Jim Barger said he did not know of another case where the federal government has voluntarily paid a criminal defendant.

"I think Mr. Latifi should feel vindicated," Barger said. "And in my discussions with him, he not only feels that way, he's a proud American and a very patriotic citizen with no ill will toward the government that abused him in the past and is making amends for it now."


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