Navy vet testifies Brooks' DHB offered strong growth

A Navy veteran and a former investor in David Brooks' body armor company testified that while he viewed Brooks' compensation as "excessive," he thought the business was a good investment because of positive financial information released by the company, the shortage, at the time, of armor for troops fighting in the field as well as the product's overall honorable purpose of protecting soldiers.

But had he known about Brooks' alleged stock fraud, Michael Adair told prosecutors this week, he would not have invested in the company.

Brooks is on trial charged with looting his former Westbury company, DHB Industries, and its stockholders of more than $185 million by getting payments for personal expenses and operating a fraudulent stock scheme. Adair, who testified Wednesday and Thursday in federal court in Central Islip, is expected to be the government's last witness against Brooks.

Adair, an accountant who lived within miles of a DHB plant in Florida, had about 90 percent of his investments in DHB stock, he confirmed under questioning by Brooks' attorney. Quarterly conference calls portrayed DHB's financial performance and potential growth as strong, he said. The company, Adair said, had shown "tremendous growth" since Sept. 11, 2001.

Prosecutors are expected to rest their case Monday.

- With Robert E. Kessler