Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has filed a lawsuit against Lorex Corporation, alleging the company concealed “material ties to the Chinese military via its manufacturer, Dahua.” The lawsuit claims families and retailers including Costco, Best Buy, and Amazon are being misled by Lorex’s false representations of product security.

Hanaway stated that Lorex—a leading producer of baby monitors and home cameras—has maintained connections with Dahua despite U.S. Department of Defense designations labeling it a Chinese Military Company posing national security threats. Independent analysis of Lorex firmware further revealed devices directly route data to Dahua, enabling the People’s Republic of China to access Missouri residents’ private information at will.

“Lorex tells families its video cameras are ‘private by design’ while concealing ties to a Chinese military company,” Hanaway asserted in her filing. “These cameras watch our babies breathe, capture our children’s voices, and record families’ most intimate moments.” The lawsuit, filed in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County, seeks restitution of up to $1,000 per Missouri consumer who purchased Lorex products over the past five years, damages exceeding $1.8 million, and injunctive relief against false claims about product security.

Hanaway emphasized that Lorex misrepresented critical facts not only to consumers but also to retailers responsible for vetting products sold in stores nationwide. Products are distributed through Best Buy, Staples, Costco, Menards, Micro Center, Office Depot, and online via the Lorex website and major platforms including Amazon. The attorney general noted Missouri’s historic $24 billion judgment against the People’s Republic of China and the CCP for pandemic-related harms, adding that “the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world. Missouri will not allow the CCP to put its hand on our cradles.”