September 17, 2025

Earlier this year, when heavily armed US military contractors arrived in Gaza to provide security at newly established food distribution sites, almost nothing was known about UG Solutions, the North Carolina security firm that had hired them. The company’s founder, Jameson Govoni, was also largely a mystery.

The story we published today reveals how Govoni—a former Green Beret who also launched a hangover preventative for ravers—went from obscurity to the center of a dubious US- and Israel-backed aid scheme that has led to disastrous results. It details his run-ins with North Carolina police and a SoundCloud account he co-owns that has recently posted songs with lyrics like, "I am the demon in the desert. You’re gonna die."

Govoni’s contractors have now been accused of severe misconduct in Gaza. One former UG Solutions contractor told me there were signs from the beginning that the company was not fully equipped to handle its role in Gaza. “Even the hiring process to work in Lowe’s lawn and garden made the hiring process at UG Solutions look like amateur work," he said.

"I’m pretty sure that Chuck E. Cheese has more of an in-depth prior hiring process than UG Solutions.”

—Noah Lanard

“Amateur Hour”: The Man Sending US Military Contractors to Gaza

How a little-known former Green Beret went from starting a company to prevent hangovers to the center of a dubious scheme to deliver aid in Gaza.

BY NOAH LANARD

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