Iowa Attorney General Files Suit Against ADI Global Distribution

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird has initiated legal action against the video surveillance firm ADI Global Distribution. She claims the company neglected to inform consumers that the cameras it sold were produced by two Chinese manufacturers, which are listed by the U.S. as entities that pose national security threats. A national security expert has cautioned that these devices could potentially compromise sensitive information, allowing access to China.

Bird announced the lawsuit on Wednesday, accusing ADI of hiding the fact that its cameras were made in China by Hikvision and Dahua. Both companies are closely linked to the Chinese military and appear on U.S. lists due to their national security risk. This particular lawsuit follows a series of actions Bird is taking this week against entities tied to China.

According to Bird’s office, ADI has sold Hikvision and Dahua cameras for several years, sometimes even altering the labels on the products. Importantly, these cameras did not come with any warnings or disclaimers regarding security risks or their manufacturers’ status on government lists.

ADI is known for marketing video surveillance and smart home products for a variety of settings—homes, offices, schools, healthcare facilities, and entertainment venues. Their website promotes the idea of keeping communities “safe, secure, comfortable and connected,” asserting that “[a]ll data remains within the client’s local network.”

Bird’s office argues that consumers lacked adequate information about the potential vulnerabilities associated with these cameras. The Federal Communications Commission has indicated that surveillance equipment from Hikvision and Dahua poses risks to American users, as these devices can be susceptible to spying from hackers and information requests by Chinese intelligence.

It’s important to note that Chinese law mandates companies to provide data to the government if requested, which raises further concerns about the risk of hacking associated with Hikvision and Dahua cameras.

Bird is pursuing this lawsuit under the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act, seeking to protect Iowa consumers and to halt what she describes as misleading representations regarding consumer data security.

“Iowans use video surveillance cameras to protect themselves, but these cameras are doing exactly the opposite,” stated Bird.

She added that these cameras, made in China, could enable the Chinese government and military to access private information, including details about home layouts, residents, daily routines, and even passwords. The deception from companies aligned with China has to end, and they must be held accountable under Iowa law.

Michael Lucci, founder and CEO of the national security nonprofit State Armor, has long warned about the dangers posed by Hikvision and Dahua cameras. “The CCP has made clear that it views Americans’ data as a strategic asset,” he noted. His concerns underscore the importance of consumers being aware of potential hidden risks connected to the devices they bring into their homes.

Lucci commended Attorney General Bird for taking a stand against ADI and for her efforts to protect Americans from covert foreign influence and threats to personal information.

In a September 30, 2025, op-ed for the Daily Caller, Lucci elaborated on how these Chinese surveillance cameras could potentially give the military access to critical infrastructure. He mentioned that despite the FCC halting the authorization of Dahua and Hikvision cameras in 2022, their presence in vital infrastructure increased by 40% from 2023 to 2024. He cited investigations revealing that cameras can be rebranded and sold without consumers being made aware of associated risks.

Lucci also pointed to actions from other state attorneys general against Chinese manufacturers and emphasized the need for similar initiatives nationwide. He referenced congressional testimonies that China aims to position itself within U.S. critical infrastructure for possible cyber-attacks, along with concerning reports of hacked surveillance feeds listed on the dark web. “Americans are learning the hard way that nothing is more expensive to our national security than a cheap Chinese product,” he remarked.

In March, Congress members Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) called for an investigation into Chinese electronics company Anker Innovations, highlighting security vulnerabilities in its Eufy home-security products. They referred to a settlement reached by Eufy distributors over security issues and raised alarms regarding the potential for audio, video, and metadata from these devices to be transmitted overseas under China’s 2017 National Intelligence Law, which requires compliance with state requests for cooperation.