Ex-Marine pilot who renounced US citizenship faces arms control charges

A former US Marine who renounced his American citizenship faces extradition from Australia to face federal charges that he illegally trained Chinese military pilots to land on aircraft carriers.

Daniel Edmund Duggan, 54, who was arrested in Australia in October and remains in custody, is accused of money laundering and breaking US arms control laws, according to a 2017 federal indictment unsealed last month.

Last week, the Australian Attorney-General's Department said it had approved a request from US authorities to extradite Duggan to face charges in the District of Columbia.

However, Duggan's attorney has previously indicated he plans to fight extradition, and the matter will come before an Australian judge next week. 

Duggan, who reached the rank of major, flew Harrier jets in the US Marines before leaving the armed forces and moving to Australia, where he set up a company offering 'adventure flights'.

Daniel Duggan, 54, who was arrested in Australia in October and remains in custody, is accused of money laundering and breaking US arms control laws

According to the indictment 'Duggan provided military training to PRC (People's Republic of China) pilots' through a South African flight school on three occasions in 2010 and 2012, while he was a U.S. citizen.

The indictment alleges that, working with British and South African con-conspirators, Duggan helped obtain a T-2 Buckeye aircraft, used for training Marine and Navy pilots, under false pretenses.

The violations he is accused of also include providing aviation services in China, evaluating Chinese military pilot trainees, and instruction in landing on aircraft carriers.

He faces four U.S. charges, including conspiracy to export defense services to China, conspiracy to launder money, and violating the Arms Export Control Act.

Duggan's LinkedIn profile lists him as the managing director of AVIBIZ Limited, 'a comprehensive aviation consultancy company with a focus on the fast growing and dynamic Chinese aviation industry.'

Duggan's lawyer Dennis Miralis could not be reached for comment outside of business hours in Sydney. 

The indictment alleges that, working with British and South African con-conspirators, Duggan helped obtain a T-2 Buckeye aircraft (like the one above) under false pretenses

China's third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, named after Fujian Province, is seen at a launching ceremony at Jiangnan Shipyard in June 2017

Miralis has said Duggan was an Australian citizen who renounced his U.S. citizenship and denies breaking any law.

Australia received an extradition request from the United States for Duggan on December 9, said the Attorney-General's Department, and was required to make a decision by Dec. 25 as to whether to formally accept the extradition request.

'The Attorney-General has complied with this requirement, and Mr Duggan's lawyer has been informed of that decision,' the Department said in a statement to Reuters.

That indicates the Attorney-General is of the opinion that Duggan is an extraditable person to the United States, according to Australia's Extradition Act 1988.

The extradition matter is next listed before a New South Wales state magistrate on January 10, the Attorney-General's Department said.

Duggan moved to Australia after a decade in the U.S. military and started a business called Top Gun Tasmania, hiring former U.S. and British military pilots to offer tourists joyrides in fighter jets, company records show and aviation sources confirmed.

Duggan also flew ex-military aircraft in Australian air shows, three pilots told Reuters.

Duggan's lawyer Dennis Miralis, pictured, has said Duggan was an Australian citizen who renounced his U.S. citizenship and denies breaking any law

Top Gun Tasmania's website says Duggan flew Harrier jump jets in the U.S. Marines and was an air combat instructor.

His service included flying missions for Operation Southern Watch in the Persian Gulf from Kuwait and the USS Boxer, after the Gulf War.

Those missions included flying from the British carrier HMS Invincible. 

He moved to Beijing in 2014 and soon after sold Top Gun Tasmania, filings in Australia for the company show.

Duggan's LinkedIn profile said he has been working in Qingdao, China, since 2017 as the managing director of AVIBIZ Limited, described as 'a comprehensive aviation consultancy company with a focus on the fast growing and dynamic Chinese Aviation Industry'.

Hong Kong company records show AVIBIZ Limited was registered there by Australian passport holder Daniel Edmund Duggan in 2017 and dissolved in 2020.