COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has filed a lawsuit against ShotStop Ballistics, its affiliate Vallmar Studios and company owner Vall Iliev, alleging the sale of unsafe and falsely marketed body armor, according to a news release.
The complaint, filed in Summit County Common Pleas Court, follows a cross-agency investigation led by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The probe revealed that ShotStop, based in Stow, Ohio, allegedly imported ballistic plates from China and falsely labeled them as being manufactured in Ohio and certified by the National Institute of Justice.
“Armor is meant to save lives, not sell lies,” Yost said in a statement. “Consumers deserve to know that this type of equipment is going to provide the protection promised.”
The lawsuit claims that ShotStop misrepresented the origin and safety certification of its products, which were sold through the company’s website and third-party retailers. Though the company at one point offered NIJ-certified plates, investigators say it later marketed uncertified plates as compliant with federal safety standards.
The body armor plates in question reportedly failed to meet the necessary standards to adequately protect users.
Yost’s office accuses ShotStop and its affiliates of violating Ohio’s Consumer Sales Practices Act in two primary ways: misrepresenting the safety certification and manufacturing origin of their products and failing to deliver the authentic goods customers believed they were purchasing.
The lawsuit seeks restitution for consumers who unknowingly purchased the armor, according to the release. However, a full accounting of potential consumer losses is still pending due to ShotStop’s 2023 bankruptcy filing and the federal seizure of its records.
Federal criminal proceedings related to the case are ongoing. The state lawsuit marks an additional step in efforts to hold the company accountable for its alleged misconduct.
