Once a Gun Runner...: The Efraim Diveroli Memoir

by Efraim Diveroli, Matthew B. Cox, Ross Reback (Editor)

Efraim Diveroli always knew what he wanted to be when he grew up – an international arms dealer. From the time he was a young Jewish Orthodox kid growing up in Miami Beach, he loved guns. Dropping out of high school in the 9th grade and shipped off to Los Angeles, he started working as a stock boy and apprentice salesperson for his uncle’s police supply business at age 14. He proved a quick study, and by 16, he was selling guns, ammo, and tactical equipment to local law enforcement. Eventually, he moved back to Miami, took over a shell company his father had once incorporated called AEY, Inc. And starting with nothing more than a laptop, a cell phone, and a water bong (and some weed), Diveroli quickly gained success beyond his years by supplying everything from goggles to grenades – mostly to his biggest customer – the U.S. Government. By age 18, Diveroli had become a self-made millionaire. This was his American dream. At the age of 21, Diveroli became the government’s go-to-guy when his company beat out giant Fortune 500 companies to win a massive, nearly $300 million contract with the Pentagon to supply weapons and munitions for the U.S. Army and the allied security forces in their fight against Al Qaeda and the Taliban. He effectively procured, managed and delivered colossal shipments of weapons and artillery into the war zone, mostly all while being either drunk, high, or coked-up… and sometimes all three - while living the excessive lifestyle of a rock star - until the government turned on him, and it all came crashing down. In this memoir, Once A Gun Runner... gives you raw, intimate, and unadulterated access to the details and experiences, which made Efraim Diveroli the world’s youngest international arms dealer. This is his story!

Genres: Crime, Biography

374 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 2, 2016

Reviews

[Bill Fitzpatrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engrossing

A well written, you-can't-make-this-stuff-up romp through the young life of a brash, reckless, brilliant and ruthlessly successful entrepreneur. The only factor limiting me from giving five stars is Efraim's blatant lack of humility, and egotistical self recusing nature of many passages. It's clear Efraim thinks very highly of himself and still struggles with the emotional maturity required to convey his story in a manner that would allow us as readers to really accept that he sincerely regrets the hurt he inflicted on his family and those that stood by him through his darkest days.

[Tyler Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
Started of really well but got abit repetitive and at times egotistical, but probably expected with the story line.
Easy read and knock it over in a couple of days.

[Alexander Debelov · Rating 5 out of 5]

much better than the movie

Very interesting and insightful. And definitely much better than the movie. Shows you an ins and outs of starting a defense business in the US.

[Rebecca Colvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This guy is intelligent.

[Jonathan · Rating 1 out of 5]

In his book Once A Gun Runner, Efraim Diveroli writes about his life as a gun runner and what lead him to drop out of school and become and international gun runner. At first I was really enjoying the book and looked forward to it but as I got deeper it became hard to read. I was more interested in the AEY inc and how Efriam operated his business but it that wasn't the case. As there were points where he would talk about it but more so he talked about doing lines of coke, drinking all night and picking a girl for a one night stand or a prostitutes. For me it became more about that then the actual business side that I was originally interested in. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. Which is really disappointing because I was really interested in to his story of becoming a international gun runner who would land himself in prison.

[Evan corvalan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome read!!!

Overall an amazing story, loved it and would read it again. Great adventures and business and data to learn from awesome read!!! Was actually recommended from a friend thanks Jason.