Armet Armored Vehicles
Armet Armored Vehicles is a defunct vehicle manufacturer founded and formerly headquartered in King City, Ontario with US operations in Danville, Virginia.
Armet was founded by Canadian owner and CEO William Whyte after purchasing then California based Armet Industries (c. 1976[1]) in 1982.[2]
Whyte stated he was born in Surrey, England, served in the British Army from 1964 to 1967, immigrated to Canada where he would become a police officer in Toronto (Metro Toronto Police 1967-1973), York Region Police (1979?-1980s). He was on a contract with Hong Kong Police for six months in 1973.
Whyte was indicted by the FBI for fraud and sentenced to more than five years in prison.[3][4][5] In 2011, the company's GURKHA vehicle design was sold to Terradyne Armored Vehicles.[6]
Post-release, William Whyte has proclaimed his innocence online,[7] stating that the charges against him were not proven.
References
- "ARMET INDUSTRIES | California Companies Directory".
- "Canadian businessman waits in U.S. Jail over armoured vehicle deal gone bad".
- U.S. Attorney’s Office (July 19, 2012). "FBI indicts Armet on fraud charges". Federal Burea of Investigation (Press release). Retrieved July 19, 2012.
- "Chief Executive Officer of Armored Vehicle Company Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Prison for Role in Scheme to Defraud the United States". Department of Justice (Press release). 20 February 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
- "Home". Armet Armored Vehicles. Archived from the original on 26 July 2011.
- Quan, Douglas (20 July 2012). "Canadian armoured-car maker 'shocked' by U.S. fraud charges". CANADA.COM. Postmedia Network. Archived from the original on 21 November 2019. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
- "WikiFactum WILLIAM WHYTE served 3 years where no allegation was proven".