Salon: Trump admin awards N95 contract far above normal price to bankrupt company with no employees:

[SheltieLover]

https://www.salon.com/2020/04/18/trump-admin-awards-n95-contract-far-above-normal-price-to-bankrupt-company-with-no-employees-report/

The Trump administration awarded an N95 mask procurement contract worth eight times the usual price to a bankrupt company with no employees which has never even manufactured the respirator masks, according to a new report.

The company, Panthera, claims to provide tactical training and "mission support" for the Department of Defense and other government agencies. However, it has no experience with manufacturing or medical equipment, The Washington Post reported this week. Panthera's parent company filed for bankruptcy in the fall, and it has not employed anyone since May 2018.

According to the contract terms, FEMA will pay Panthera $55 million for 10 million N95 respirator masks, or $5.50 a mask. 3M, one of the nation's largest manufacturers, charges the government between $0.63 and $1.50 per N95 mask, depending on the model. Prestige Ameritech, the largest U.S. mask manufacturer, charged FEMA about $0.80 cents per mask in an order of 12 million.

FEMA clarified that Panthera is a distributor — not a manufacturer. A Panthera executive told The Post he had made the arrangements through his military contacts and claimed he would deliver on the contract before May 1 "for certain" and "with a very high-quality product."

More at link.

To put $5.50 per mask into perspective, I have purchased these in the past for work on various home projects for around $25 per 50 3-M N-95s.

Someone needs to lock this shitbag up!

[Thomas Hurt]

1. Have they figured out how bigly a cut the Trump org gets yet?

[SheltieLover]

2. Is this where seized PPE Ais going???

So dump can buy it back with taxpayer funds from a non-existent company?

I hope this is being investigated! 🤬

[Solly Mack]

3. Sniff, sniff. Something stinks.

[SheltieLover]

6. I hear you, Solly!

Stinks badly.

[calguy]

4. This has Jared's fingerprints all over it.

[SheltieLover]

7. I think so, too, Calguy.

[PufPuf23]

5. What about Panthera Medical?

A repost of what I've already posted twice at DU with no response.

Yes something stinks and it looks like GOP or Eric {Prince/Blackwater type shenanigans.

Repost, note Panthera Medical link.

-----------------------------------------

From https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=13300075


Business Insider article;

The Trump administration paid a bankrupt company with zero employees $55 million for N95 masks, which it's never manufactured

The Trump administration has awarded a $55 million contract for N95 masks to a bankrupt company with no experience in producing medical supplies.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency told Insider that the company, Panthera, is scheduled to deliver the masks on April 23.

Former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told the Washington Post something is "amiss" regarding this order.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/the-trump-administration-paid-a-bankrupt-company-with-zero-employees-2455-million-for-n95-masks-which-its-never-manufactured/ar-BB12JwUk

There is a link in the BI/MSN article to Panthera's website.

>>OUR MISSION

Panthera Training provides elite, scenario-based tactical, aviation and intelligence training and instruction for Defense Department, State Department, Federal Agency and Law Enforcement teams who operate in sensitive environments worldwide, to enable those teams to meet their mission goals and requirements.<<

The firm appears to be a security / mercenary training company, nothing about medical.

http://www.pantheratraining.com/

Did an internet search to find out more and this is what I found.

https://www.pantheramedical.com/

>>PANTHERA MEDICAL SANAYI.TR
Driven by Success

Panthera Medical researches, develops, designs and produces high quality medical disposable supplies. With 27+ years of experience, Panthera Medical offers innovative, complementary and economic solutions to the market.

Our founder began to improve infrastructure for the disposable medical supplies production in 1992, it was founded as a family company, with 25 employees, company pioneered in disposable medical products production of any material which has not manufactured in Turkey before. They had managed to be the first manufacturer of disposable medical supplies such as surgical drape, Microscope Drape and Camera Drape in Turkey and one of the few manufacturers in the world. After turned to a LIMITED organization in 2018, because of the other partners not being industrial origin, then increase in disposable medical supplies market was observed and with the thought of infection control will come to the fore, strategies have been created to re-enter the market.

Panthera Medical with 350 m2 closed area, 50 workers and 27 years of experience, had a small but fast entrance into sector. With the rapid increase of domestic sales, exports beginning in 2012 and ongoing increase, the need was felt to increase capacity.

Our human resources, our experience, our perfectionism and our entrepreneurial spirit are the most important assets we have.<<

So Panthera Medical is a company in Turkey that does manufacture medical supplies such as facemasks. There are no names or other specifics at the site.

[cayugafalls]

9. I agree there is a possible Blackwater, Xe, Academi, Constellis, etc...connection

However, I could not find any direct connection to the above mentioned groups with my cursory searches. It is just a feeling.

Panthera Medical could be another link in the chain. Just not so sure. I spent a bit of time down that rabbit hole the other night and decided not to post about it since I could neither confirm nor deny any linkage.

[PufPuf23]

12. I found the Panthera Medical in less than 5 minutes

after reading the initial article.

I went on the link to the Panthera firm and then did a search about the bankruptcy or anything else but the Panthera Medical was near the front of the search.

Again pretty much a website that was clearly about medical supplies but with no actual detail about the company as far as who is in charge.

You are correct in that there is nothing to indicate a direct connection and nothin to discover any detail.

Kind of typical though.

[cayugafalls]

14. According to crunchbase, they got a 7 year - 98 million dollar contract in 2016 as well.

So there is definitely something going on...

https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/panthera-worldwide#section-overview

[PufPuf23]

17. Thank you. Still does not tell much.

Names two individual managers but I won't put their names out here.

XXXXXX has nearly thirty years of leadership and management experience in a wide range of industries. He is an experienced entrepreneur, aerospace engineer, lawyer and corporate financial specialist. He had both fixed-wing and helicopter flying experience in the U.S. Navy. Mr. Jones earned a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy, With Merit, and a J.D. from George Mason Law School, With Distinction. Currently Mr. Jones is CEO of Panthera Solutions, LLC

XXXXXXX has over twenty-five years of experience in diverse industries. His background includes senior positions in Operations, Logistics, Manufacturing, Technical Services and Government Contracting. Mr. Punelli earned a B.S. in Ocean Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and a M.A. in Business from Webster University.

Seem kind of typical background resumes for this type of business.

There is no evidence of a link to Panthera Medical but still looks suspicious to me.

[cayugafalls]

18. I just think it is odd that they get a 98 million dollar contract in 2016 and then

in 2019 they file for bankruptcy. Now they get a 55 million dollar contract. This stinks so bad I had to put my mask on.

https://www.docketbird.com/court-documents/Panthera-Enterprises-LLC/Document/wvnb-2:2019-bk-00787-00030

[PufPuf23]

20. The two principals must have deep ties starting as both engineering grads from the Naval Academy.

I am clueless about the legal aspects of corporate bankruptcy.

There have been 117 court filings regards the bankruptcy dating between 9/13/19 and 4/11/20.

https://www.docketbird.com/court-cases/Panthera-Enterprises-LLC/wvnb-2:2019-bk-00787

I paged through the bankruptcy document you linked and found nothing in creditors et al linking to Panthera Medical.

Perhaps money has been funneled to Panthera Medical? The Panthera Medical website seems more American than Turkish.

There are probably many Pentagon / Federal government type contracts that would blow us away (and little accountability).

[2naSalit]

8. K&R

[SheltieLover]

10. Thx for kick 2na

[2naSalit]

11. No problem

It's information people need t see. Thanks for posting it.

[SheltieLover]

13. That's my feeling, too

Just get the info out to the group!

[Hoyt]

15. Assuming they won't get a penny if they don't deliver on time.

[keithbvadu2]

16. Where are the supplies that Trump has been confiscating?

Where are the supplies that Trump has been confiscating?

---------------------------
Republican seller has 'relationships with a lot of people.'

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142462680

Republican fundraiser looks to cash in on coronavirus

The fundraiser, Mike Gula, didn’t specify his new line of work in the email. But in an interview, he said he’d started a new company selling medical equipment that’s been in short supply during the coronavirus pandemic.
----------
Asked how he’d managed to procure such equipment when there are shortages in hospitals across the country, Gula said, “I have relationships with a lot of people.”

[SheltieLover]

19. BOOM! There it is!