On December 17th, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) raided with armed tactical agents the offices of Ducati North America in Mountain View, California.
Though only a handful of employees were in the Mountain View office because of COVID restrictions during the time of the raid, it is being reported that roughly 30 agents stormed the building with a search warrant in hand.
An account of this happening was posted by a Ducati North America employee to the Bay Area Riders Forum, with RoadRacing World subsequently publishing the news.
Talking to RoadRacing World, FBI spokesperson Katherine Zackel said the following: “I can confirm that FBI San Francisco was at that location on December 17, 2020, to conduct court-authorized law enforcement activity. As of today’s date, no public records are available. Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, I cannot comment further at this time.”
However, Asphalt & Rubber‘s own sources have also confirmed that the personal residences of several high-level Ducati North America employees were also subjected to the search efforts of the FBI as part of this investigation, and that the scope of the FBI’s search relates to a financial crime investigation.
The sources also tell us that the number of raiding FBI agents at the Ducati North America office is considerably less than the 30 that is being quoted in the media.
When asked for comment about our additional information, the FBI provided Asphalt & Rubber with the same statement it has sent to other publications, namely that the FBI cannot comment further.
It is not clear at this time if Ducati is the focus of FBI’s investigation, or if today’s news is related to an investigation that concerns another party.
Responding to the news, Ducati’s Marketing Director Phill Read Jr. told us that “it is Ducati North America’s practice to cooperate fully with inquiries from government agencies. As part of that cooperation, Ducati North America does not comment on those inquiries.”
This is surely going to be a story that develops over the coming weeks and months, so stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.
Source: FBI & Bothan Spies
Comments