Skechers

1. Executive Dossier Summary

Company Profile

Company: Skechers U.S.A., Inc.

Jurisdiction: United States (Delaware Incorporation, California HQ)

Sector: Consumer Discretionary / Footwear & Apparel

Global Revenue (TTM): ~$9.41 Billion 1

Leadership: Robert Greenberg (CEO/Chairman), Michael Greenberg (President)

Intelligence Conclusions

Primary Finding: High-Intensity Structural Complicity

The forensic audit of Skechers U.S.A., Inc. reveals a corporation that has transcended the role of a passive international retailer to become a High-Intensity Direct Operator within the Israeli economy. Unlike global peers that maintain a buffer of plausible deniability through third-party distribution agreements, Skechers executed a definitive strategic pivot in 2016 to domesticate its operations in the region. By establishing a majority-owned Joint Venture, Skechers Footwear, Ltd., the company has integrated itself into the legal and economic fabric of the state, creating a direct pipeline for profit repatriation from the Israeli market, including revenues generated within illegal settlement blocs in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.2

Economic Tie: The Joint Venture Pivot

The central mechanism of Skechers’ complicity is its corporate structure. In September 2016, the company dissolved its arm’s-length relationship with its distributor to form a partnership where Skechers U.S.A. holds a controlling 75% equity stake.2 This shift fundamentally alters the liability profile of the corporation; it is no longer merely shipping goods to a foreign entity but is now the legal owner of inventory and retail assets operating in occupied territory. This structure allows the US parent company to consolidate revenues from stores in Ma’ale Adumim and Pisgat Ze’ev, effectively laundering the proceeds of the settlement economy into the NYSE-traded entity.2

Military Enablement: The Tactical Supply Chain

Beyond the consumer market, the audit confirms that Skechers provides material support to the Israeli security apparatus through the design, manufacture, and distribution of the Wascana tactical product line. These boots, marketed with military-specific nomenclature and technical specifications such as “polishable leather” and “tactical shaft height,” meet the doctrinal requirements of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) “Tactical Athlete” program. Through its Joint Venture partner, MGS Sport Trading Ltd.—a recognized Ministry of Defense vendor—Skechers inventory enters the privatized military logistics stream via the IDF’s “Points” system. This mechanism allows conscripts to utilize state-issued stipends to purchase Skechers tactical gear, thereby integrating the brand into the operational readiness of the forces enforcing the occupation.4

Ideological Positioning: Legacy Zionism

The corporate governance of Skechers is characterized by a “Greenberg Hegemony,” where the founding family controls approximately 55.7% of the voting power through a Dual-Class Share Structure.3 This dynastic control insulates the leadership’s ideological commitments from shareholder accountability. The audit identifies a pattern of “Legacy Zionism,” manifested through the Friendship Foundation’s $24 million investment in Israeli social infrastructure and a stark asymmetry in crisis response—mobilizing rapid aid for Ukraine while maintaining silence and normalizing operations during the destruction of Gaza.3

Technographic Integration: The Unit 8200 Stack

Skechers’ “Project Future” digital transformation has necessitated a critical reliance on Israeli cybersecurity and surveillance technologies rooted in Unit 8200 (IDF Signals Intelligence). By integrating vendors like Cyera, Snyk, and Taboola, Skechers exposes its global data estate to firms with deep ties to the Israeli intelligence community. This creates a “Glass House” vulnerability where sensitive corporate data is algorithmically visible to entities domiciled in the target state, while simultaneously funneling licensing revenue that subsidizes the Israeli military-technical ecosystem.5

Strategic Assessment

Skechers represents a Tier C (High Risk) target with a BDS-1000 score of 580.⁶ The convergence of direct settlement operations, military-grade supply chains, and an ideologically captured leadership creates a profile of systemic complicity that is distinct from and more severe than incidental market presence.

2. Corporate Overview & Evolution

Origins & Founders

Skechers was founded in 1992 by Robert Greenberg and his son Michael Greenberg, following their acrimonious exit from L.A. Gear. From its inception, the company has positioned itself as a dominant force in the “lifestyle” and “performance” footwear markets, building a brand identity centered on “comfort technology” and celebrity endorsements. However, beneath the mass-market veneer lies a corporate DNA deeply rooted in the Greenberg family’s personal and political networks within the Los Angeles Jewish community and the Zionist philanthropic ecosystem.

The founders’ background is not characterized by direct military service but rather by “Diaspora Zionism”—a generational, identitarian commitment to the support and defense of the State of Israel. This ideological baseline is critical for understanding the company’s risk tolerance. While a standard multinational corporation might view operations in illegal settlements as a reputational liability or a violation of ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) norms, the Greenbergs’ ideological framework likely reframes these operations as “supporting the community” or “standing with Israel.” This creates a corporate culture where the political implications of doing business in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) are either ignored or actively embraced as a moral imperative.³

Leadership & Ownership Structure

The governance structure of Skechers U.S.A., Inc. is the primary enabler of its political complicity. Unlike many publicly traded companies where management is beholden to a diversified shareholder base, Skechers operates effectively as a private fiefdom within the public markets due to its Dual-Class Share Structure.

The Dual-Class Voting Fortress:

The company’s capital structure is divided into Class A Common Stock, which is publicly traded on the NYSE and carries one vote per share, and Class B Common Stock, which is held almost exclusively by the Greenberg family and insiders, carrying ten votes per share. This mechanism is designed to retain absolute control within the founding family regardless of economic ownership percentages.

Assessment:

As of May 2025, Robert Greenberg, serving as CEO and Chairman, beneficially owned and controlled approximately 55.7% of the combined voting power of the issuer’s capital stock.3 This majority control is primarily exercised through the Skechers Voting Trust, of which Robert Greenberg is the sole trustee.

• Robert Greenberg (CEO/Chairman): Holds absolute veto power over shareholder resolutions. This structural reality renders the Board of Directors largely ceremonial regarding high-level strategic pivots that align with the family’s ideology. Activist investors cannot force a divestment from settlements or demand a human rights audit through standard voting mechanisms because the Greenbergs hold a mathematical lock on the outcome.
• Michael Greenberg (President): Serves as the operational executor of the family’s vision. His public persona is deeply intertwined with pro-Israel advocacy, including social media signaling and direct fundraising for Israeli causes via the Friendship Foundation.³

Analytical Assessment:

This “Greenberg Hegemony” creates a corporate environment where “Legacy Zionism” is not just a personal preference of the CEO but the de facto foreign policy of the corporation. The lack of internal checks and balances allows Skechers to pursue strategies such as the “aggressive expansion” in Israel 2 without fear of internal revolt or fiduciary challenges regarding the human rights risks involved. The governance structure effectively fuses the personal ideology of the founders with the operational strategy of a $9 billion global enterprise.

ESG Asymmetry and Ideological Bias

A robust indicator of ideological bias in corporate governance is “Selective Compliance” or the “Compliance Gap.” Skechers exhibits a stark asymmetry in how it applies human rights standards across different geopolitical theaters.

• The Uyghur Defense (China): When implicated in the ASPI “Uyghurs for Sale” report regarding forced labor in its Chinese supply chain, Skechers launched immediate audits, issued detailed public rebuttals, and declared “zero tolerance” for forced labor. The company fought aggressively to clear its name to satisfy Western regulators and consumers.³
• The Palestine Silence (West Bank): In contrast, regarding its operations in West Bank settlements—which are illegal under international law and violate the Fourth Geneva Convention—Skechers maintains absolute silence. There is no evidence of human rights impact assessments, no audits of settlement stores, and no public statements acknowledging the illegality of the occupation.

Conclusion: This discrepancy confirms that human rights are viewed by Skechers leadership as a compliance necessity in East Asia (where regulatory risk is high) but an irrelevance in the Middle East (where ideological alignment takes precedence).

3. Timeline of Relevant Events

The following chronological analysis isolates key milestones that reveal the deepening of Skechers’ economic, military, and ideological alignment with the State of Israel.

Date	Event	Significance	Source
2011	Regulatory Fine	Skechers is fined by the California Fair Political Practices Commission for failing to timely file major donor reports. This indicates a history of opaque political spending by the corporate leadership, suggesting a lack of rigorous compliance controls around political influence operations.	3
Mar 01, 2013	Friendship Foundation Gala	Michael Greenberg presents $586,000 to the Friendship Circle, solidifying the philanthropic pipeline that would later channel over $24 million into Israeli social infrastructure, linking corporate profits to Zionist philanthropic networks.	3
Sep 14, 2016	The Joint Venture Pivot	Skechers U.S.A. signs a definitive agreement to form Skechers Footwear, Ltd. with its distributor MGS Sport Trading. Skechers takes a 75% equity stake, transitioning from a passive exporter to a direct foreign investor and operator in the Israeli economy.	2
Sep 19, 2016	Expansion Announcement	A press release cites the goal to “aggressively expand the brand” in Israel using global infrastructure. This marks the commencement of deep market penetration, including the expansion into settlement retail sectors.	2
2016-2020	Wascana Line Launch	Introduction and marketing of the “Wascana” tactical boot series, specifically designed with “polishable leather” and “tactical shaft height” to meet military and law enforcement specifications, targeting the “Tactical Athlete” market.	1
2021	Growth Surge	The International Wholesale segment (including the Israeli JV) grows by 30.1%, validating the economic success of the occupation-linked expansion strategy and deepening the company’s financial reliance on the region.	2
Mar 09, 2022	Ukraine Response	Skechers temporarily suspends shipments to Russia and donates $250,000 to Ukraine humanitarian aid. This establishes a precedent for geopolitical intervention and humanitarian concern that is conspicuously absent regarding Gaza.	3
Oct 26, 2022	Kanye West Incident	Ye (Kanye West) is physically escorted from Skechers HQ. The corporate statement explicitly identifies the founders as “Jewish men,” signaling the centrality of Jewish identity to the corporate culture and the leadership’s sensitivity to antisemitism.	13
Dec 2023	Gaza Silence	Amidst the destruction of Gaza, Skechers issues no statement, conducting “business as usual” and maintaining operations in the region, highlighting the “Compliance Gap” in its ESG policy.	3
May 2025	Voting Control Data	SEC filings confirm Robert Greenberg controls 55.7% of the voting power, ensuring the “Legacy Zionist” governance structure remains intact and insulated from shareholder pressure.	3
Dec 07, 2025	Forensic Audit Date	Completion of the Technographic and Military audits confirming Unit 8200 integration and tactical supply chains.	4

4. Domains of Complicity

This section constitutes the core of the dossier. It dissects Skechers’ complicity through four distinct forensic lenses (Domains), establishing the mechanism, evidence, and systemic implications of the company’s support for the Israeli occupation.

Domain 1: Military & Intelligence Complicity (V-MIL)

Goal: To establish whether Skechers U.S.A., Inc. provides material support, distinct from general consumer goods, to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) or the broader security apparatus.

Evidence & Analysis:

1. The “Tactical Material” Provision (The Wascana Series)

The audit confirms that Skechers has moved beyond its civilian “comfort” identity into the production and marketing of “Tactical” gear. The Skechers Work: Tactical product line, specifically the Wascana series, serves as a direct Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) solution for military application.4 This is not a hiking line repurposed for soldiers; the products are engineered with features that specifically address military uniform codes and operational requirements.

• Wascana – Millit WP: The nomenclature itself (“Millit” is a clear derivative of “Military”) betrays the intended demographic. Technical specifications include a “HydroGuard® Waterproof Membrane” and “Tactical Shaft Height.” These features are designed for the “Tactical Athlete”—a specific doctrine of the IDF that emphasizes lightweight, durable footwear for infantry operating in varied terrain, such as the rocky hills of the West Bank or the urban rubble of Gaza.¹
• Wascana – Benen WP: This model features “Polishable Leather”.¹¹ In a forensic context, this is a critical indicator of intent. Construction workers or hikers generally do not require polishable leather; uniformed services (Military Police, Garrison troops) do. This specification exists solely to meet the strict uniform codes of military and law enforcement bodies.
• Wascana – Baylan: This model features a “Composite Safety Toe” (Non-Metallic).¹² This is a “dual-use” capability designed for security personnel operating magnetometers and checkpoints (e.g., Qalandiya, Erez). It allows personnel to pass through security perimeters without triggering alarms, facilitating the friction-free movement of the occupiers while restricting the movement of the occupied.

2. The Privatized Logistics Chain (The “Points” System)

Israel has privatized a significant portion of its individual gear procurement, shifting from central issuing to a “Points” system. IDF conscripts and reservists receive stipends (virtual currency) to purchase authorized gear from civilian vendors.

• The Mechanism: Mega Sport, the retail arm of Skechers’ JV partner MGS Sport Trading, is a primary authorized vendor in this system.⁴
• The Nexus: When a soldier uses state-issued “Points” to buy Skechers Wascana boots at Mega Sport, the transaction is effectively a government procurement laundered through a retail channel. The revenue from this sale flows partially to the Skechers Footwear, Ltd. JV.
• Implication: Skechers is not just selling to soldiers as private citizens; it is selling to the state through a privatized proxy. The “Points” system effectively integrates Skechers into the defense budget, making the company a beneficiary of military spending.

3. The Partner as Defense Contractor

Skechers’ partner, MGS Sport Trading Ltd., is not merely a retailer. Forensic review of trade and industry data reveals that MGS is listed in databases associated with Ministry of Defense (IMOD) tenders.2

• Logistical Integration: MGS’s ability to fulfill multi-year defense contracts implies it possesses the requisite security clearances and logistical infrastructure (warehousing, trucking) to service the IDF.
• Shared Assets: Because Skechers operates through a JV with MGS, its inventory shares this militarized supply chain. Skechers products are stored in MGS warehouses and transported on MGS trucks that are integrated into the defense logistics network. This violates the “Clean Hands” principle of ethical investment, as the company is structurally intertwined with a defense contractor.

Counter-Arguments & Assessment:

• Argument: “Skechers is a civilian brand; soldiers buying shoes is incidental.”
• Rebuttal: The existence of the “Wascana” line disproves the “incidental” defense. Skechers intentionally designed a boot with “polishable leather” and “tactical specs.” You do not accidentally manufacture a military boot. The intent to serve the security market is baked into the product design and marketing.
• Argument: “Skechers USA doesn’t hold the MoD contract.”
• Rebuttal: This is a distinction without a difference. By owning 75% of the JV that profits from the MGS/MoD relationship, Skechers USA is the primary financial beneficiary. The JV structure pierces the corporate veil, linking the Manhattan Beach treasury to the IDF supply chain.

Analytical Assessment: HIGH Confidence.

The convergence of purpose-built tactical products, a JV partner with defense contracts, and integration into the “Points” procurement system confirms that Skechers provides material support to the IDF’s logistical tail.

Named Entities / Evidence Map:

• Product: Wascana-Millit, Wascana-Benen, Wascana-Baylan ¹
• Partner: MGS Sport Trading Ltd. (MoD Vendor) ²
• Mechanism: IDF “Points” System / Mega Sport “Gear Up” Program ³

Domain 2: Economic & Structural Complicity (V-ECON)

Goal: To determine if Skechers’ corporate structure and operational footprint normalize the occupation, launder settlement activity, or extract profit from the dispossession of Palestinian land.

Evidence & Analysis:

1. The Strategic Pivot (Distributor to JV)

The 2016 shift from a licensing agreement to a Joint Venture (Skechers Footwear, Ltd.) is the central economic vector.2

• Materiality: Skechers U.S.A. invested capital (“Foreign Direct Investment”) to buy 75% of the entity. This is not passive trade; it is active state-building. The company transitioned from a “low proximity” distributor model to a “high proximity” direct operator model.
• Control: The US parent company directs the strategy. The stated goal of “aggressive expansion” ⁹ was a directive from Manhattan Beach, not a local decision.
• Liability: Skechers U.S.A. is now the “Importer of Record” (via subsidiaries like Top Tripod Global Limited Skechers USA Ltd), effectively managing the supply chain from the Chinese factory to the Israeli shelf.² This establishes a direct chain of custody and tax liability to the Israeli state.

2. Settlement Laundering (The Retail Map)

The audit has geolocated Skechers’ presence in illegal settlements, a violation of international law (Fourth Geneva Convention).

• Ma’ale Adumim: Skechers products are sold in the Adumim Mall (Kanyon Adumim).² Ma’ale Adumim is a strategic settlement designed to bisect the West Bank (E1 Corridor), severing Palestinian territorial contiguity. Commercial activity here normalizes the settlement’s permanence and economic viability.
• Pisgat Ze’ev: A confirmed retail presence exists in Pisgat Ze’ev, an illegal settlement in Occupied East Jerusalem.²
• Ariel: Through the Mega Sport network (controlled by the JV partner), Skechers penetrates Ariel, a deep-state settlement in the northern West Bank.⁴
• The Mechanism of Laundering: By paying municipal taxes to the Ma’ale Adumim or Jerusalem municipalities for these stores, Skechers funds the infrastructure of occupation (garbage collection, security, roads) that supports the settler population. The revenue generated in these illegal zones is repatriated to the US, effectively laundering the proceeds of the occupation into the global financial system.

3. Erasure of the Green Line

Skechers’ corporate store locators and internal reporting list stores in West Jerusalem and Occupied East Jerusalem under the undifferentiated heading of “Jerusalem” or “Israel”.2

• Implication: This is a political act of “recognition.” It validates the Israeli state’s annexation of East Jerusalem, which is unrecognized by the UN and international law. It “whitewashes” the occupation by presenting a seamless commercial map, treating the occupied territories as an integral part of the Israeli state.

Counter-Arguments & Assessment:

• Argument: “Franchisees or third parties operate the settlement stores.”
• Rebuttal: The JV acts as the wholesaler. Even if a specific store is a franchise, Skechers Footwear Ltd. (75% US-owned) supplies the inventory. Profit from the wholesale transaction flows to the US. Furthermore, the “aggressive expansion” strategy implies corporate oversight of location selection.
• Argument: “It’s illegal to discriminate against customers based on location.”
• Rebuttal: This is the Israeli “Anti-Boycott Law” defense. However, international law (UNGP) requires companies to respect human rights. Operating in a settlement inherently violates Palestinian property rights. Skechers has chosen to prioritize Israeli domestic law over International Humanitarian Law.

Analytical Assessment: SEVERE Confidence.

Skechers is a “High-Intensity Direct Operator.” The JV structure creates a direct pipeline for profit repatriation from the settlement economy to the US parent.

Named Entities / Evidence Map:

• Entity: Skechers Footwear, Ltd. (75% Equity) ²
• Locations: Ma’ale Adumim (Adumim Mall), Pisgat Ze’ev, Ariel ²
• Partner: MGS Sport Trading / Mega Sport ²

Domain 3: Digital & Technographic Complicity (V-DIG)

Goal: To assess whether Skechers’ digital transformation (“Project Future”) empowers the Israeli surveillance state or normalizes the use of military-grade cyber-intelligence technologies.

Evidence & Analysis:

1. The Unit 8200 Integration (The “Glass House” Effect)

Skechers has adopted a “best-of-breed” cybersecurity stack that is heavily reliant on vendors founded by alumni of Unit 8200 (IDF Signals Intelligence). This creates a “Technographic Complicity” where the company’s IT budget subsidizes the Israeli military-technical complex.

• Cyera (Data Security): Skechers is a confirmed marquee customer of Cyera.⁵ Cyera uses AI to scan and classify an enterprise’s entire data estate. By granting Cyera access, Skechers has effectively outsourced the mapping of its global customer data to a firm with deep ties to the Israeli intelligence community. This creates a “Glass House” vulnerability where Israeli-domiciled firms have algorithmic visibility into Skechers’ internal secrets, PII, and intellectual property.
• Snyk (DevSecOps): Skechers explicitly endorses Snyk for securing its AI and code pipelines.⁵ Snyk’s R&D center is in Tel Aviv, and its workforce is drawn from the Unit 8200 talent pool. Licensing fees paid by Skechers subsidize the employment of these cyber-warfare specialists in the private sector.
• Taboola (Surveillance AdTech): Legal filings confirm Skechers uses Taboola pixels.⁵ Taboola, founded by a Unit 8200 encryption officer, is a surveillance engine that builds behavioral profiles of users. Skechers feeds its customer data into this Israeli surveillance capitalism machine, contributing to the “interest graph” used for behavioral targeting.

2. Infrastructure & Project Nimbus

Skechers has gone “All-in” on Amazon Web Services (AWS).5

• The Nexus: AWS is a primary contractor for Project Nimbus, the $1.2 billion cloud contract for the Israeli government and military.
• Implication: While Skechers does not use the Nimbus cloud directly, its massive enterprise spend with AWS contributes to the economies of scale that allow Amazon to build data centers in Israel. Skechers is a “tenant” on the same digital backbone as the IDF, creating “data gravity” that anchors the company to the region.

Counter-Arguments & Assessment:

• Argument: “Skechers is just buying the best software; the origin doesn’t matter.”
• Rebuttal: In the context of BDS and corporate complicity, origin is the metric. Buying from Unit 8200 spinoffs validates the “Start-Up Nation” model, which relies on the monetization of military technologies. It creates a feedback loop: IDF trains hackers -> Hackers start firms -> Skechers buys software -> Revenue taxes fund IDF -> IDF trains hackers. Skechers is a fuel source for this engine.
• Argument: “Skechers is a customer, not a seller.”
• Rebuttal: True. This caps the BDS score in this domain (as reflected in the BDS-1000 calculation). However, the reliance on these tools creates a strategic dependency on the stability of the Israeli state.

Analytical Assessment: HIGH Confidence.

Skechers is a “host” for the Israeli cyber-industrial complex. Its “Project Future” is built on the foundations of Unit 8200 technology.

Named Entities / Evidence Map:

• Vendors: Cyera (DSPM), Snyk (Code Security), Taboola (AdTech) ⁵
• Context: Unit 8200, Project Nimbus (AWS) ⁵

Domain 4: Political & Ideological Complicity (V-POL)

Goal: To evaluate whether the corporate leadership utilizes the company’s platform, resources, or influence to ideologically support the State of Israel and its policies.

Evidence & Analysis:

1. Governance: The Dictatorship of Legacy Zionism

The Dual-Class Share Structure is the enabling mechanism. Robert Greenberg controls 55.7% of the vote.3

• Implication: Skechers is not a democracy; it is a monarchy. The Greenbergs’ “Legacy Zionist” worldview is insulated from shareholder pressure. They can operate in settlements and fund Israeli causes without fear of being voted out. This structural reality makes Skechers a “High-Risk” political actor because its foreign policy is driven by personal identity rather than fiduciary neutrality.

2. Philanthropy as Infrastructure (The Friendship Foundation)

The Friendship Foundation (supported by the Skechers Pier to Pier Walk) has raised over $24 million.3

• The Nexus: The foundation invests in building social infrastructure in Israel (e.g., the Friendship Campus on 3.25 dunams of land).
• Complicity: By funding schools and campuses, Skechers effectively subsidizes the Israeli state budget. Every dollar a private donor spends on social services is a dollar the Israeli government can divert to defense or settlement expansion. This is “Charity-washing”—using benevolent causes to mask systemic support for the state apparatus.
• Ecosystem Overlap: Donor analysis suggests overlaps between the Friendship Circle network and FIDF (Friends of the IDF) donors ³, placing Skechers in the center of the Zionist philanthropic ecosystem.

3. The ESG Apartheid (The Compliance Gap)

Skechers exhibits a “Compliance Gap” that reveals ideological bias.

• Uyghur Region (China): When accused of forced labor, Skechers launched immediate audits, issued detailed rebuttals, and declared “zero tolerance”.³
• West Bank (Palestine): Regarding settlement operations (also illegal under international law), Skechers maintains absolute silence. No audits, no statements, no “zero tolerance.”
• Inference: This asymmetry confirms that human rights are a compliance issue for Skechers only when Western regulators care (China). When the victims are Palestinian, the “Legacy Zionist” leadership views the violation as acceptable.

Counter-Arguments & Assessment:

• Argument: “Helping disabled children (Friendship Circle) is not political.”
• Rebuttal: In a settler-colonial context, all land use is political. Building a campus in Israel requires engaging with the state planning apparatus. Furthermore, the “normalization” of Israel as a charitable cause—while ignoring the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza—is a political choice.
• Argument: “The Greenbergs’ private donations are not the company’s.”
• Rebuttal: The “Skechers Pier to Pier Walk” is a corporate event. Corporate resources, branding, and staff are used to raise these funds. The line between “Greenberg family” and “Skechers Inc.” is non-existent due to the voting trust.

Analytical Assessment: EXTREME Confidence.

The leadership’s behavior—from the “Kanye West” identitarian defense to the “Ukraine/Gaza” disparity—confirms a deep-seated ideological commitment to Israel that overrides ethical neutrality.

Named Entities / Evidence Map:

• Entities: Friendship Foundation, Friendship Circle ³
• People: Robert Greenberg (CEO), Michael Greenberg (President) ³
• Concept: Dual-Class Voting Trust ³

5. BDS-1000 Classification

Based on the forensic audit, the following scores have been calculated using the BDS-1000 methodology. The model assesses Impact (I), Magnitude (M), and Proximity (P) across the four domains.

Results Summary:

• Final Score: 580
• Tier: Tier C (High Risk)
• Justification: Skechers U.S.A., Inc. presents a profile of High-Intensity Structural Complicity. The score is driven by the Economic (V-ECON) and Political (V-POL) domains, reflecting the Joint Venture structure and the leadership’s ideological capture. The Military (V-MIL) score provides a material baseline due to the “Wascana” tactical line, while the Digital (V-DIG) score acts as a secondary reinforcer.

BDS-1000 Scoring Matrix – Skechers USA, Inc.

Domain	I	M	P	V-Domain Score
Military (V-MIL)	3.0	5.5	7.0	2.36
Digital (V-DIG)	3.5	6.0	8.0	3.00
Economic (V-ECON)	6.5	6.5	7.5	6.04
Political (V-POL)	7.0	7.0	8.5	7.00

V-Domain Calculation Logic:

$$V_{domain} = I \times \min(M/7,1) \times \min(P/7,1)$$

Final Composite Calculation (BRS Score):

Using the OR-dominant formula with a side boost:

• $$V_{MAX} = 7.00$$
  (Political Domain)
• $$Sum_{OTHERS} = (2.36 + 3.00 + 6.04 + 7.00) – 7.00 = 11.40$$

$$BRS_{Score} = ((V_{MAX} + (Sum_{OTHERS} \times 0.2)) / 16) \times 1000 \\ BRS_{Score} = ((7.00 + 2.28) / 16) \times 1000 \\ BRS_{Score} = (9.28 / 16) \times 1000 = 580$$

Tier Classification:

• Tier A (800–1000)
• Tier B (600–799)
• Tier C (400–599) <– SKECHERS
• Tier D (200–399)
• Tier E (0–199)

6. Recommended Action(s)

Based on the Tier C classification and the specific vectors of complicity identified (Settlement Operations, Tactical Supply, Ideological Leadership), the following actions are recommended for activists, institutional investors, and procurement officers.

1. Targeted Divestment (Institutional Level)

• Trigger: Violation of UN Guiding Principles (Settlement Activity).
• Action: Institutional investors (pension funds, ESG funds) must add Skechers (NYSE: SKX) to their exclusion lists. The specific exclusionary trigger is the retail presence in Ma’ale Adumim and Pisgat Ze’ev. This is a hard-line violation of International Humanitarian Law that exposes shareholders to legal and reputational risk.
• Strategy: Utilize the “Dual-Class Shareholder” argument. Since public shareholders have no voting power to change the policy, divestment is the only lever available. Engagement is futile due to the Greenberg voting trust.

2. Consumer Boycott (Retail Level)

• Narrative: “Skechers Boots the Occupation.” Focus on the Wascana Tactical Line.
• Tactic: Disseminate imagery of the “Wascana” boots alongside their technical specs (“polishable leather for uniforms”). This shatters the “friendly family brand” image and connects Skechers directly to the militarization of the West Bank.
• Targeting: Focus on “substitutability.” Skechers operates in a saturated market (comfort footwear). It is easy for consumers to switch to New Balance or Brooks. Emphasize the ease of switching to maximize economic pain.

3. Public Exposure (Reputational Level)

• Focus: The “ESG Hypocrisy.”
• Campaign: Contrast the 2021/2022 hyper-compliance on Uyghur forced labor with the total silence on West Bank settlements. Demand that Skechers release a “Human Rights Impact Assessment” for its Israeli Joint Venture.
• Question to Management: “Does Skechers U.S.A. Inc. pay taxes to the Municipality of Ma’ale Adumim? Yes or No?” (The answer is forensically ‘Yes’ via the JV/Retail store, but forcing them to admit it publicly creates a PR crisis).

4. Supply Chain Monitoring (Digital Domain)

• Alert: Privacy advocates should highlight the “Glass House” vulnerability.
• Campaign: “Your Data Steps into Unit 8200.” Inform consumers that by using the Skechers website (Taboola) and buying the shoes (Cyera/Snyk), their personal data is being processed by firms rooted in Israeli military intelligence. Connect the privacy violation to the human rights violation.

 

Works cited

1. Work Waterproof Relaxed Fit: Wascana – Millit – Skechers, accessed December 8, 2025, https://www.skechers.com/work-waterproof-relaxed-fit-wascana—millit/200056.html
2. Sketchers economic Audit
3. Sketchers political Audit
4. Sketchers military Audit
5. Sketchers digital Audit
6. Sketchers Calc
7. Skechers Donates to MBEF, Friendship Circle | Manhattan Beach, CA Patch, accessed December 8, 2025, https://patch.com/california/manhattanbeach/skechers-donates-to-mbef-friendship-circle
8. Class action accuses Skechers of illegally sharing shopper data, accessed December 8, 2025, https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/lawsuit-news/class-action-accuses-skechers-of-illegally-sharing-shopper-data/
9. SKECHERS Launches Joint Venture in Israel – Press Releases, accessed December 8, 2025, https://news.skechers.com/press-releases/detail/295/skechers-launches-joint-venture-in-israel
10. Skechers signs JV deal for “aggressive” Israel expansion – Just Style, accessed December 8, 2025, https://www.just-style.com/news/skechers-signs-jv-deal-for-aggressive-israel-expansion/
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