IEN Radio

LISTEN: Forklift Companies Charged With Dodging Tariffs, Defrauding U.S. Out of $1M

Eric Sorensen

A federal grand jury charged two Colorado companies and some of their executives with conspiring to avoid paying tariffs on forklifts imported from China into the U.S. 


Court documents accused the companies, Octane Forklifts, Inc. and Endless Sales, Inc., which does business as Discount Forklifts, of selling the machines to federal government agencies as “Made in America,” disguising their Chinese origin. Individuals mentioned in the indictment include current executives Brian Firkins and Jeffrey Blasdel, as well as former executive J.R. Antczak.