Daniel Duggan is a former Corps pilot in the U.S. Marines. Now he’s an Australian citizen. In October 2022, he got arrested because the U.S. government wants him back, claiming he’s involved in selling weapons and moving dirty money. They say he trained Chinese fighter pilots and laundered money. But Duggan says he didn’t do any of that.
Bio/Wiki
Age-55 years
Height-5.7
Weight-78kg
Born-1969
Birthplace-USA
Spouse-Saffrine Duggan
Profession-Former U.S. Marine Corps pilot
Nationality-Australian
Family
Daniel Duggan’s mother was Anne Duggan, and his father’s name is unknown. Unfortunately, Anne suffered a stroke and passed away. She was the mother of 13 children, with Daniel being the youngest among them. Nine of her children were present at her bedside when she passed away.
Wife
Daniel Duggan is married to Saffrine Duggan. They were trying to sell their family’s multi-million-dollar estate at Saddleback Mountain, near Kiama, to cover his legal expenses.
Children
Daniel Duggan and Saffrine Duggan have six children together.
Career
Daniel Duggan served in the United States Marine Corps, rising to the rank of major and specializing as a fighter and instructor pilot over a 13-year career until 2002. After leaving the Marine Corps, he relocated to Australia in 2005 where he established Top Gun Tasmania, a venture offering joy flights on military jet trainers. During this period, he also relinquished his U.S. citizenship and became an Australian citizen.
In 2014, Duggan moved to Beijing and transitioned into the role of an aviation consultant, selling Top Gun Tasmania in the process. While in Beijing, he collaborated with Chinese businessman Su Bin, who was associated with the Test Flying Academy of South Africa (TFASA), a South African flight school. Bin’s involvement led to arrangements for Chinese Peoples Liberation Army pilots to undertake training courses at TFASA, where Duggan provided instruction to Chinese pilots.
The shared address of Duggan and Bin appeared on the U.S. Entity List in August 2014. Subsequently, Bin was imprisoned in the U.S. in 2016 due to his involvement in a hacking case related to the theft of U.S. military aircraft designs.
From 2017 until its dissolution in 2020, Duggan served as the general manager of AVIBIZ Limited, a consultancy firm specializing in the Chinese aviation industry. Despite the company’s closure, Duggan remained active in China until his return to Australia and subsequent arrest.
Daniel Duggan Arresting
Duggan was arrested on October 21, 2022, in Orange, New South Wales, under an American warrant. The warrant, based on a 2017 indictment, alleged conspiracy to defraud the United States by unlawfully exporting defense services to China, money laundering conspiracy, and two counts of violating arms export regulations. It claimed Duggan didn’t seek U.S. approval to train China’s military, despite being informed of the requirement in 2008. Duggan denied the accusations, stating he trained civilians, not military pilots.
Following his arrest, Britain and other Western governments investigated former military pilots involved in training Chinese military personnel. In a February 2023 speech, the head of ASIO criticized such pilots. TFASA, the South African test flying academy Duggan worked with, was added to the U.S. Entity List in June 2023.
Duggan, categorized as an Extreme High-Risk Restricted and Protection Non-Association prisoner, is held in Lithgow Correctional Centre. His wife and legal team filed a complaint with the UN human rights committee, alleging unjustified imprisonment causing severe psychological distress and inadequate medical treatment. In March 2023, the Australian Inspector General of Intelligence and Security launched a formal inquiry into his detention, investigating claims of unlawful enticement to return to Australia.
Latest News about Daniel Duggan
ASIO Cleared of Wrongdoing in Daniel Duggan Case
The Australian spy agency ASIO has been cleared of wrongdoing by the intelligence watchdog regarding allegations raised by Daniel Duggan, an Australian citizen fighting extradition to the US. Duggan, a former US Marine pilot accused of training Chinese pilots, had questioned ASIO’s role in his return to Australia from China. His legal team suggested ASIO may have used an “unlawful lure” to bring him back, leading to his arrest for extradition. ASIO’s Director General, Mike Burgess, revealed the inquiry’s outcome, stating that all allegations against ASIO were unfounded. This development is part of Duggan’s broader legal battle against extradition.
Net Worth
Daniel Duggan’s net worth is currently unknown.
