In August 2025, a new name popped up in the Texas business registry, Defend IT and Facilities Solutions LLC unsurprisingly created and owned by none other than Chris Hannifin. The same Chris Hannifin that is behind DefendIT Services, the San Antonio-based cybersecurity firm which has been at the center of mounting allegations ranging from financial misconduct, espionage, money laundering, and even blackmail.

Public records from the Texas Comptroller’s Office show that Defend IT and Facilities Solutions LLC was registered on August 15, 2025, listing Hannifin as the owner. Its official business address is 84 NE Loop 410, Suite 209, San Antonio, which is the same address as that of DefendIT Services. For those who have been following the Hannifin case, the timing and the choice of structure of the new company are not random and some might suspect what is happening behind the scenes.

The key detail here is that Hannifin has not just started a new business; he has created a limited liability company (LLC). Which means that even if both companies are being operated by the same person and from the same address, the law treats them as separate entities. It operates as a separate legal entity from its owner. In simple terms, that means the company can own assets, open bank accounts, and enter contracts in its own name, but if the company is sued or goes bankrupt, its debts are not automatically tied to the owner’s personal finances. For someone in Hannifin’s position, this distinction matters.

As DefendIT Services is reportedly facing financial pressure, and declining credibility among clients. By forming a new LLC, Hannifin can move whatever is left of both his personal resources as well as DefendIT Services, whether that means equipment, cash reserves, or sensitive data collected during his time in cybersecurity and defense contracting into a legally distinct structure that could shield them and himself if the DefendIT Services collapsed. This structure would make it much harder for creditors or clients to seize assets that have been transferred to the new company. It’s a tactic often used when a business owner anticipates legal trouble or bankruptcy, as it can buy them time to reorganize or hide funds under a different name.

By forming this nearly identical new company, Hannifin appears to be trying to jump brands, hoping to shed the baggage of his old operation. In this case, the difference between “DefendIT Services” and “Defend IT and Facilities Solutions” is little more than a space and a few extra words. To those who have followed Hannifin’s career, this move fits perfectly with his a long-established pattern of manipulation and self-preservation.

The irony is that a man once trusted to design systems that safeguard national infrastructure is now using legal and financial loopholes to safeguard himself. By forming Defend IT and Facilities Solutions LLC, he has built a new wall between himself and the consequences of his actions. If DefendIT Services is shut down, this new company could continue operating under the radar, allowing Hannifin to hold onto assets, shift accounts, or even relaunch the same services under a slightly altered name. It’s a move that shows that Hannifin knows the trouble coming his way but refuses to give up control.