Sky World CEO says he is being targeted for building tools protecting privacy

The CEO of a Vancouver-based entirely company who is accused in the United States of aiding the illicit world drug alternate thru the sale of encrypted communications units is denying the allegations.

Jean-Francois Eap says in a observation that he believes that he and his company Sky World beget been targeted for building tools to guard the foremost precise to privacy.

The U.S. Department of Justice says Eap is one of two men linked to the Canadian company named in the indictment by a federal mammoth jury in San Diego.

It says the indictment alleges that Sky World units are designed to forestall legislation enforcement from monitoring the communications between individuals of transnational criminal organizations fervent about drug trafficking and cash laundering.

Eap says he was awake of the racketeering and drug conspiracy charges via media and has no longer been contacted by authorities.

He says the allegations are “false” and “entirely faux.”

“The indictment towards me for my half in the United States is an example of the police and the authorities attempting to vilify someone who takes a stance towards unwarranted surveillance,” Eap says in the observation.

Eap denied that that expertise used to be created to forestall police from monitoring criminal organization, together with that it exists to forestall someone from monitoring and spying on the world community.

The indictment alleges that Sky World installs sophisticated encryption design in cellphones that allow users to talk with every other in a closed network thru encrypted servers in Canada and France.

It alleges the company primitive the machine to facilitate the importation, exportation, and distribution of heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine into Australia, Asia, Europe, and North The USA, together with the United States and Canada.

The indictment also alleges the machine used to be primitive to help launder the proceeds of drug trafficking and hinder investigations.

Eap says he would no longer condone illegal job in any manner, shape or form, nor does Sky World.

“We stand for protection of privacy and freedom of speech in an era when these rights are below increasing attack. We manufacture no longer condone illegal or unethical behavior by our companions or customers,” he says.

“To designate someone who values privacy and freedom of speech as a criminal is an outrage. In the coming days, my efforts will almost definitely be inquisitive about clearing my establish of these allegations.”

The Justice Department also names Thomas Herdman, a former distributor of the units, who couldn’t be reached for comment.

The Department says they are charged with conspiracy to violate the federal Racketeer Influenced and Substandard Organizations Act and conspiracy to distribute managed substances.

This account by The Canadian Press used to be first published March 14, 2021.