Elevate your local knowledge
Sign up for the iNFOnews newsletter today!
Man convicted of trying to sell weapons to Colombia rebels
NEW YORK – A Romanian citizen has been convicted in New York of conspiring to sell military-grade weapons in Europe to informants who said they wanted to shoot down American helicopters in Colombia.
Virgil Flaviu Georgescu was convicted on Wednesday in federal court in Manhattan. He had pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiring to kill Americans and to providing material support to a terrorist organization.
Prosecutors say Georgescu and two other men offered to sell machine-guns and rocket launchers to informants who posed as associates of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the decades-old rebel group known as FARC.
Court papers say the informants told the men the weapons would be used against American forces helping the Colombian government.
Georgescu faces up to life in prison when he’s sentenced Sept. 16.
News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Join the Conversation!
Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?
You must be logged in to post a comment.
