The unbelievable true story behind War Dogs. In their early 20s, David Packouz and Efraim Diveroli—two childhood friends from Miami—landed a $300 million Pentagon contract to supply ammo to U.S. allies in Afghanistan. Neither had military experience. One was a massage therapist; the other, a smooth-talking high school dropout.
Operating out of their small apartment with just laptops and cell phones, they beat major defense giants by bidding on overlooked government contracts. In 2007, they shipped nearly 5 million rounds of AK-47 ammunition from Eastern Europe to Kabul. But when it was discovered they had illegally repackaged Chinese-made ammo, the deal collapsed. The government charged them with fraud. Diveroli served four years in prison. Packouz, who cooperated, received house arrest.
But the story didn’t end there. After the scandal, Packouz turned his life around. He became an inventor and entrepreneur, creating a successful music tech product called the BeatBuddy, a drum machine for guitarists. He now runs a business and gives talks about ethics, choices, and second chances. Diveroli also wrote a book and tried to reenter the business world.
Their wild ride exposed flaws in U.S. military contracting—but also showed that even after a major fall, redemption is possible. From massage tables to million-dollar arms deals to federal courtrooms, it’s a story of ambition, mistakes, and ultimately, finding a way forward.