Suburban Chicago Man Charged With Illegally Shipping Firearm Parts Hidden in George Foreman Grills to Israel

Matt Masterson | August 7, 2024, 12:13 pm

The Dirksen Courthouse is pictured in Chicago. (Capitol News Illinois)

A suburban Chicago man has pleaded guilty to illegally shipping firearm parts including rifle barrels and other components to Israel in packages disguised as auto parts or George Foreman grills.

Amin Betuni, 37, of Palos Hills, entered into a plea agreement with federal prosecutors, admitting that he shipped items on three occasions in 2022 in violation of federal export regulations.

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“Export-control violations are critically important because they undermine federal laws and regulations that seek to protect international security,” acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Morris Pasqual said in a statement. “Our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to relentlessly pursue those who seek to exploit U.S. export-control laws for financial gain.”

According to the plea agreement, Betuni purchased items including 5.56 caliber rifle barrels, gas blocks and bolt carrier groups in November 2022 from online retailers. He had those items shipped to his Illinois home and then allegedly shipped them himself to people in Israel without obtaining the necessary export licenses.

Betuni allegedly hid the items in the packages inside household items such as the George Foreman grills and put false information on shipping labels in order to conceal the true nature of the shipments from authorities, according to the plea deal.

Of the three packages he allegedly sent, at least two were intercepted by Israeli customs officials.

Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Betuni’s home in December 2022 and located more than 1,200 rounds of ammunition as well as multiple firearms and three glock “switches” — which allow firearms to fire multiple rounds with a single trigger pull — the plea agreement states.

He also allegedly possessed multiple firearm components including a silencer, rifle sight and a device designed to counter the recoil of a firearm located inside a mail parcel.

Betuni, who had faced up to 10 years in prison, officially pleaded guilty to one count of knowingly and fraudulently exporting firearm parts in violation of U.S. laws and regulations. He is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 6.

“Those who illegally export firearm parts will face consequences,” Sean Fitzgerald, special agent-in-charge of the Chicago office of Homeland Security Investigations, said in a statement. “Betuni’s actions not only violated international law but also undermined global security. HSI and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in our commitment to uphold justice and prevent such dangerous activities. Let this guilty plea serve as a stern warning: anyone who jeopardizes peace and safety through illicit arms transfers will be held accountable.”