IRVINE, CA – A California man has pleaded guilty to charges he sold thousands of counterfeit components to the US Navy and other government agencies.

Neil Felahy claimed guilt to conspiracy and counterfeit goods trafficking, an operation that took place between 2007 and 2009, according to New Electronics. ICs sold to the Navy could have caused serious equipment failure, say officials.
 
Felahy, with his wife Marwah and her brother Mustaffa Aljaff, ran microchip brokerage firms, including MVP Micro, Red Hat Distributors, Force-One Electronics and Pentagon Components.
 
The family imported chips from Shenzhen that they’d then re-brand. They reportedly imported more than 13,000 counterfeits, worth more than $140,000.
 
Felahy could face fines of more than $5 million and jail time up to 15 years. He copped to a guilty plea was on the condition charges would be dropped against his wife.
 
The US District Court for DC is pressing charges against Aljaff.