I actually suspect he might not have had actual Kevlar armor plates, and that this was the media misunderstanding “tactical vest” (which he purchased for $106 on-line).
I assume the same. I have plenty of gear with Molle loops and use it quite regularly for everything from my laptop bag to my range gear vest. There’s also a weight vest for exercise and weight training that looks exactly like a tac vest and uses Molle-type attachments to add weights.
BPVs are a LOT more expensive than $106.