People profile

Wallace I. Shimabukuro Jr.

M&W Suppliers intermediary · disputed U.S. PPE transactions

Profile of Wallace I. Shimabukuro Jr.

Wallace I. Shimabukuro Jr., also known as Wally Shimabukuro, was the M&W Suppliers intermediary who introduced George Monemvasitis and Authentitech to the disputed USD 8.398 million replacement glove transaction. Dr. Ashraf Taha, a later M&W manager, told the court that company bank records showed at least USD 505,000 was transferred to Authentitech, while also stating that Shimabukuro resigned and abruptly left the United States in May 2021. Those transfers—despite Authentitech later suing Shimabukuro and M&W—raise unresolved questions about George's conduct, the parties' private arrangements and the purpose of the litigation.

Transaction records state that Shimabukuro represented that 646,000 boxes of nitrile gloves had shipped, were insured and were expected at the Port of Long Beach. American Wellness LLC contracted to sell the shipment to Authentitech on 21 December 2020. Authentitech alleged that the arriving containers were empty or contained waste and that the goods were never delivered as represented.

Shimabukuro's connection to failed PPE transactions extended beyond the Authentitech deal. Civil filings describe at least four other disputes—Marlin Medical, Aterian Group, Smart Source and the Cadu Medical / Mohawk transaction—in which buyers alleged promised PPE was not delivered, funds were not fully returned, or transaction participants concealed where the money went. The defendants disputed material allegations in some of those proceedings.

Wallace Shimabukuro in imagery published with reporting on the U.S. Marshals search.Image: 8 News Now

Also known as: Wally Shimabukuro
U.S. intermediary: M&W Suppliers / Federico and Company LLC
Authentitech payment: USD 8.398 million
Criminal record: Federal drug-conspiracy conviction · repeated supervised-release revocations
2022 status: Reported wanted by U.S. Marshals on a federal warrant
Other PPE disputes: Marlin · Aterian · Smart Source · Cadu Medical / Mohawk

Connection to George

The records identify Shimabukuro as the intermediary who connected George Monemvasitis and Authentitech to the replacement glove transaction. The American Wellness agreement was signed before the original U.S. government deal was supposedly cancelled.

Authentitech later maintained that Shimabukuro agreed to return USD 300,000 in commissions and assign M&W's claims against upstream participants. Authentitech sued Shimabukuro and M&W and obtained a default judgment. Dr. Taha later disputed any outstanding obligation and said M&W bank records showed at least USD 505,000 had already been transferred to Authentitech; the available records do not establish whether those transfers included the disputed commission.

Dr. Taha also said Shimabukuro abruptly left the United States in May 2021. The combination of transfers to Authentitech, Shimabukuro's departure and George's later reliance on lawsuits as the expected source of repayment leaves important questions about what George knew, what agreements existed among the participants and whether the proceedings were a genuine recovery effort or a means of sustaining the investor's expectation of repayment.

Related case file

Case connectionThe $14.6 Million Glove DealRead how Shimabukuro, M&W Suppliers and the disputed USD 8.398 million replacement transaction fit into the wider George Monemvasitis case file.Open case file →

Contact circle

WifeJae Eun Kwon Shimabukuro (Jane Shimabukuro)Named with Shimabukuro and M&W in the Smart Source litigation record.

Federico and Company figureMarco Federico MartinezNamed with Shimabukuro and M&W in the Marlin Medical and Smart Source proceedings.

Later M&W managerDr. Ashraf TahaProvided the declaration concerning bank transfers to Authentitech and Shimabukuro's sudden departure.

CMJ Medical Supplies managerJorge DeYarzaIdentified as the upstream intermediary who brought the glove transaction to M&W.

Public records

A federal district-court order states that Shimabukuro pleaded guilty in 2004 to a drug-conspiracy count, received a sentence later reduced to 78 months, and then returned to custody more than once after three supervised-release revocations. The Ninth Circuit ultimately ordered his immediate release in 2018 because the aggregate revocation confinement exceeded the applicable statutory cap.
A 2022 Las Vegas report said the U.S. Marshals Service was seeking Shimabukuro on a federal warrant issued after a probation violation and described prior bank-fraud, assault, methamphetamine and marijuana matters. The official federal decisions independently confirm the drug-conspiracy conviction, prison terms and repeated supervised-release violations.
A California Superior Court ruling records that Shimabukuro appeared in July 2022 as M&W's person most knowledgeable, that requested documents were not fully produced, and that he and M&W later failed to attend scheduled depositions. The court compelled attendance and imposed USD 1,080 in sanctions.
Marlin Medical alleged in a 2021 Texas lawsuit that Shimabukuro, M&W and other defendants failed to deliver contracted PPE and failed to return approximately USD 1 million.
Aterian Group alleged in a separate 2021 New York action that Shimabukuro and M&W represented that gloves or refunded purchase funds would be available. M&W and Shimabukuro denied the fraud allegations, said upstream suppliers had deceived them and pointed to partial repayments.
A 2021 Smart Source fraud action named Shimabukuro, M&W, his wife Jae Eun Kwon Shimabukuro and Marco Federico Martinez. The case record states that the matter was later closed.
In the Cadu Medical / Mohawk dispute, plaintiffs alleged that M&W gained access to and withdrew a USD 4.38 million payment after the promised gloves were not delivered, and that participants concealed M&W's role. That account remains an allegation drawn from the litigation record.

Sources

Information wanted

Help complete this profile

Do you have contracts, payment records, messages or first-hand information about Wallace Shimabukuro, M&W Suppliers, Federico and Company, or any related PPE transaction? Contact the investigation.

Send information · report@georgemonemvassitis.com