ERAI Blog

NEW Data Source Offered by ERAI Adds Additional Layer of Protection for Members

Kristal Snider
ERAI, Inc.

Since 2001 ERAI has been collecting and storing data on nonconforming and suspect counterfeit parts. This searchable high risk and suspect counterfeit database includes nonconformance descriptions and images, if available. Each reported part is assigned one of the following “ERAI Part Alert Classifications”:

NC = Nonconforming – A part that displays one or more nonconformance(s).

SC = Suspect Counterfeit - A part that displays one or more nonconformance(s) and shows evidence of counterfeiting.

NC/SC = Nonconforming / Suspect Counterfeit - A part that displays one or more nonconformance(s) and shows evidence this it is a used part sold as new.

NEW ERAI Part Alert Classification

FN = Federal Notice - A part or list of parts which are publically released as part of a U.S. federal/government agency notice. These parts may require additional evaluation based on your organization’s internal risk mitigation procedures.

This new part alert classification, (FN), was added to broaden our dataset and add another layer of protection for ERAI Members seeking to avoid a counterfeit escape and/or investigate past sales and/or purchases involving an individual or organization that has become the subject of a federal investigation (e.g. United States of America v. Peter Picone).

On July 17, 2013, Peter Picone, an independent distributor operating as Epic International Inc. and TyTronix Inc., was arrested following the return of an eight-count indictment. On June 3, 2014, Picone pleaded guilty to Count Two of the indictment charging him with conspiracy to intentionally traffic in counterfeit military goods in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2320(a)(1). Between February 2007 and April 2012 on at least 743 occasions, Picone sold 587 different part numbers (506,008 parts in total) to 237 unique buyers, which generated $2,588,919.29 in sales and, in each of those instances, the origin of the goods had been misrepresented. The government expressed concerned that thousands of the parts he sold may already be installed on critical equipment, including the military, or warehoused as spares or replacement parts. To mitigate this risk, the U.S. Attorney’s office released a list of part numbers sold by Picone. Releasing this report allows Picone’s customers and any of their customers to check their inventories for counterfeit ICs.

Every part number published by the U.S. Attorney’s office was added to ERAI’s database with a link to the government’s notice.

It’s important to note parts classified as FN will not be included in the statistics we provide, as they were not directly reported to ERAI. The data will be added for the benefit of our customers, but since objective evidence of the product’s nonconforming condition is either not available or not provided to the general public, the data has been uniquely classified and treated differently than parts reported to us directly.

ERAI is constantly striving to improve the services we offer to our Members by listening and responding to your input. Please continue to share your needs and ideas with us.