Published May 2025
The NIJ Compliance Testing Program (CTP) is taking action to remove armor models, listees, and individuals from further participation in the program in response to federal criminal enforcement actions.
The NIJ CTP is issuing a Safety Notice to remove three models of armor from the NIJ Compliant Products List (CPL): PA1RF1 ICW SLHIIIA, D1652SSB, and PS1RF1SC. The NIJ CTP is also prohibiting two listees, ShotStop Ballistics and Vallmar Studios, from further participation in the NIJ CTP. Effective immediately, these entities will no longer appear on the NIJ CPL. One individual associated with both of these listees, Val Iliev, is also prohibited from any future participation in the NIJ CTP.
These actions are being taken subsequent to the results of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio (USAO OHN) that uncovered several forms of criminal activity, including conspiracy, smuggling, and counterfeiting. The defendants are accused, inter alia, of surreptitiously importing body armor manufactured in China and deliberately mislabeling the armor as NIJ-certified and made in Ohio.
More information on the case can be found here:
Law enforcement agencies should immediately discontinue use of any body armor purchased from either ShotStop Ballistics or Vallmar Studios as they pose an imminent risk to officer safety.
The NIJ CTP thanks the USAO OHN and HSI for its enforcement actions to remove bad actors from the body armor industry in order to protect law enforcement officers.
