7 Indicted by U.S. in an Export Case

The New York Times

Boston -- April 2, 1984 -- (AP) -- Seven men and five corporations in Switzerland, Canada and the United States have been named in a 23-count indictment in connection with an international ring that allegedly shipped banned computer systems to the Soviet Union and East Germany, the United States Attorney's office here said today.

The 12 defendants were named in sealed indictments that were returned in Boston March 6, said William Weld, United States Attorney. The indictments were unsealed today.

The defendants are accused of conspiring to export Digital Electronic Corporation computer systems, parts and accessories from the United States to Canada and Switzerland and re-export these items to the Soviet Union and East Germany, said Dennis Kelly, assistant United States Attorney. Mr. Kelly, who is handling the prosecution of the case, said that in addition to equipment from Digital, a Maynard, Mass., corporation, goods also came from the Hewlett-Packard Corporation.

One Man Is Arrested

One of the men indicted, Leslie Klein, 36 years old, of Ottawa, a Czechoslovak native, was arrested by today in Miami by Customs agents. Mr. Kelly said the man was charged with violating export laws and will be sent to Boston for arraignment, following hearings in Miami before a Federal magistrate.

Mr. Kelly declined to estimate the quantity and the value of the exported equipment.

The indictment includes two counts of conspiracy between 1980 and 1982, one count of filing false shipping declarations and 20 counts of shipping equipment ''with the knowledge that the goods are to benefit a country to which exports are restricted by reason of national security or of foreign policy,'' Mr. Kelly said.

He said the shippers allegedly declared the shipments were going to Canada ''when they knew they were going to Europe.''

Other defendants named in the indictments were Elmont AG, of Kreuzlingen, Switzerland; Dieter Enderlein, 54, one of two owners of Elmont, of Konstanz, West Germany; Fred Schiavo, of Kreuzlingen, an owner and president of Elmont AG; Semitec AG, Kreuzlingen; MLPI Busines Systems Inc. (MLPI-Canada), with offices in Scarborough, Ontario, and Montreal; Ray McLellan, Whitby, Ontario, former order administrator of MLPI Canada.

Also, Oliver DuPaul, formerly branch manager, MLPI Canada's office in Montreal, who also did business under the name of Service Informatiques, ODP, Inc., in Montreal; MLPI Business Systems Inc. (MLPI-License), Phoenix, Ariz.; Albert T. Beeson, Jr., a vice president of MLPI Phoenix; Young Sales and Service Inc., Nashua, N.H.; and its president-owner, R. Paul Boucher.

If convicted, the men face maximum sentences up to 10 years and $50,000 on some counts, the United States Attorney's office said. Corporations face maximum sentences of fines of $1 million or five times the value of the exports involved, whichever is greater.