To my understanding there is nothing whatsoever "deceptive" about what SAI is doing. They have been pretty up-front about saying that they've partnered with AKDAS in order to bring their production costs under control. The case in point being the 33% reduction to the R18 price, from $2700 to $1800 for a significantly product-improved firearm. JR Cox was clear that they brought the R18 Mk3 design (based on the Mk 2 revised with elements of the HK 416 and SIG MCX), to AKDAS, who introduced a few changes and set about marketing it as the "SAM" rifle to their clients. In return, AKDAS provided the concept for the R9, based on the SA-9. The R9 however, makes use of R18 Mk3 Receiver design and aesthetics, just amended with a smaller 9mm Magazine Well. So it is probably fair to say that the R9 is a 50-50 AKDAS/SAI design, whereas the R18 Mk3/AKDAS SAM was 90% an SAI design that AKDAS tweaked to include top-charging. AKDAS was able to go with top charging on the SAM because they are not constrained by the need to maintain the R18 lineage with side-cocking like SAI was in order to obtain a NR FRT entry from the RCMP Lab.
It is clear that you harbour a dislike of SAI and/or their R9 project. That's all well and good, but you shouldn't let your personal feelings get in the way of the facts. To the best of my knowledge, the facts are as I have stated them. Nobody has "re-branded" anything. Both sets of firearms (R9/SA-9, R18/SAM) were developed and are being produced as strategic partnerships.