2 U.S. nationals were charged with conspiring to feed Russia
US Nationals and Russians allegedly conspired to illegally procure U.S. technology to facilitate Russia’s brutal war on democracy
The Russians and US nationals were charged with conspiring to illegally obtain and ship millions of dollars of American-made, military-grade technology to Russia.
Seven people are accused of acting for two Moscow companies under the direction of Russia’s intelligence services.
The items include a chip set of 45 advanced Semiconductors, a low noise cesium synthesizer, high quality spectrum analyzers used for electronic testing and expensive oscilloscopes and signal generators. Many are so-called dual-use devices that can be employed for military or civilian purposes.
The United States imposed sanctions against Serniya, Sertal, and one of the defendants, Yevgeniy Grinin, following the Russia invasion of Ukraine.
“As alleged, the defendants perpetrated a sophisticated procurement network that illegally obtained sensitive U.S. technology to facilitate the Russian war machine,” Breon Peace, US attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in a statement Tuesday. “Our Office will not rest in its vigorous pursuit of persons who unlawfully procure U.S. technology to be used in furtherance of Russia’s brutal war on democracy.”
According to the Justice Department, both Brayman and Konoshchenok are in the US, as are Ippolitov, Livshits, and Skvortsova.
The defendants could be sentenced to 30 years in prison if convicted of the most serious charges. Four of them remain at large.
Mr. Yermolenko, an American citizen, and Mr. Brayman, a permanent U.S. resident identified in court filings as an Israeli citizen, were arraigned on Tuesday.
Mr Brayman wore an electronic monitoring device and turned in his passports after he was released on a $150,000 bond. “Like all defendants, Mr. Brayman is entitled to the presumption of innocence,” said his lawyer, David Lazarus.
Mr. Yermolenko was released after posting a $500,000 bond partially secured by his house. The lawyer for Mr. Yermolenko wouldn’t discuss the case.
Attempt by Task Force KleptoCapture to Identify two Russian men and their illegal trade partners at the border of Konoshchenok
The police at the Estonian border stopped Konoshchenok because they found many US-made bullets and other electronic components that had been controlled by the US government.
Grinin and Skvortsova would allegedly map out shipping routes while Livshits – through shell companies and US bank accounts – would allegedly purchase the items from US companies, according to the indictment.
According to prosecutors, the two men’s company sold equipment and services for repairing Russian aircrafts as well as installing Western equipment for airplanes. Prosecutors say Buyanovsky and Robertson lied to their clients about how much their products cost and were paid through foreign accounts to get around US sanctions.
Cyril Gregory Buyanovsky and Douglas Robertson are accused of several offenses, including exporting controlled goods without a license, failing to file electronic export information, and smuggling goods contrary to US law.
The arrest of these individuals is the most recent move by the Task Force KleptoCapture, made up of federal prosecutors, investigators and analysts, which has worked for the past year to wage a global campaign against money laundered in support of the Russian government. According to the Justice Department, its work resulted in over 30 indictments against supporters of the Kremlin and Russian military.
A KanRus shipment in February 2022 was flagged by the Department of Commerce because it did not have the proper licensing, according to the indictment.
Robertson told a Russia-based client that things were hard in the USA and that he needed to make their invoices less than $50,000 because there would be more paperwork and visibility. A shipment to that Russian client was later sent through Laos, prosecutors say.
