Two Companies and Three Executives Indicted for Fraudulently Selling Chinese Forklifts to U.S. Government as “Made in America” and Evading Tariffs

A federal grand jury in Denver returned an indictment on August 21, 2025, charging two Denver-area companies and the companies' top executives for defrauding the federal government on sales of forklifts and conspiring to avoid paying proper tariffs on forklifts imported into the United States.

According to court documents, Endless Sales Inc. (Endless), Octane Forklifts, Inc. (Octane), current executives Brian Firkins and Jeffrey Blasdel, and former executive J.R. Antczak allegedly conspired to import forklifts from China, disguise the Chinese origin of the forklifts, and then sell the forklifts to federal government agencies by fraudulently representing the forklifts as being manufactured in the United States. The indictment also alleges that Endless, Octane, Firkins, Blasdel, and Antczak conspired with an unnamed Chinese national and a Chinese manufacturer to create fake commercial invoices that fraudulently undervalued the cost of forklifts that Endless and Octane imported into the United States, thereby defrauding the government of over $1 million in applicable tariffs, duties, and fees. Firkins, Blasdel, and Antczak are each additionally charged with separate wire fraud charges, and Blasdel is also charged with making false statements to the government.

"Defrauding the United States to profit from goods made in adversarial nations like China undermines our economic and national security," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "The Justice Department is committed to protecting American taxpayer dollars, defending our national security against those who would undermine it, and holding accountable anyone who pursues illegal profits over our country."

"Defendants fraudulently hid the origins of the products they sold the government and conspired to avoid paying tariffs," said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division. "The Antitrust Division's Procurement Collusion Strike Force and its law enforcement partners will continue to prosecute and hold accountable those who seek to fraudulently obtain taxpayer funds."

"Today's indictments are the result of the collaboration among the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who seek to violate America's trade laws to enrich themselves," said Acting Inspector General Steve Stebbins of the Department of Defense. "DCIS remains committed to safeguarding the integrity of the DoD contracting process."

"Federal contractors are expected to be honest in their dealings with the government," said Deputy Inspector General Robert Erickson of the U.S. General Services Administration Office of Inspector General. "These indictments demonstrate our special agents' commitment to pursue allegations of procurement fraud and protect the government's supply chain."

"My office is committed to protecting taxpayer dollars and the integrity of federal procurement," said Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D of DHS OIG. "Octane Forklifts, Endless Sales, and their executives allegedly engaged in a brazen scheme to sell rebranded Chinese made forklifts to FEMA and the Department of Defense , all while falsely certifying their compliance with the Buy America Act. It is especially reprehensible that this alleged fraud involved a FEMA contract using disaster funds. I commend our law enforcement partners, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado, and DOJ's Antitrust Division for their steadfast commitment to holding these individuals accountable."

"This indictment reflects the commitment of the Air Force to uphold the integrity in public contracting and protect taxpayer dollars," said Director Jason T. Hein, Office of Procurement Fraud Investigations, Office of Special Investigations, USAF. "Procurement fraud undermines trust in government and diverts resources from maintaining our national security and missions they're meant to serve. We will continue to pursue accountability wherever public funds are at risk."

"Intentionally violating the Buy America Act to defraud the US Government, isn't just a legal issue, it is a demonstration of complete disregard for US law and the safety and security of our US military." said Special Agent in Charge Derek Tilton of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division. "The US Army will not tolerate contract fraud and will vigorously pursue all available legal recourse."

Firkins, Blasdel, Antczak, Endless, and Octane are charged with conspiring to commit wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349. Firkins, Blasdel, and Antczak are similarly charged with individual counts of wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. For the individuals, each count of conviction carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. For the corporations, the maximum penalty is a fine of $500,000. Firkins, Blasdel, Antczak, Endless and Octane are also charged with conspiring to enter goods into the United States by means of false or fraudulent statements. For the individuals, a count of conviction carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. For the corporations, the maximum penalty is a fine of $500,000, or twice the gain derived from the offense, or twice the loss caused by the offense. Finally, Blasdel is charged with making false statements to the government, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Antitrust Division's Chicago Office is prosecuting the case, which was investigated with the assistance of the United States Army Criminal Investigative Division, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigation, U.S. General Services Administration Office of Inspector General, Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, and U.S. Defense Contract Audit Agency. The Westminster, Colorado, Police Department provided valuable assistance.

In November 2019, the Justice Department created the Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF), a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government - federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force. Anyone with information in connection with this investigation can contact the PCSF at the link listed above.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.