Three individuals were arrested and charged in federal court Thursday for allegedly scheming to illegally export sophisticated military and satellite technology to Russia.
Alexey Barysheff, a Brooklyn, New York, resident and naturalized U.S. citizen, was arrested on charges of illegally shipping controlled technology from the U.S. to end-users in Russia, according to a release from the Department of Justice.
Additionally, two Russian nationals, Dmitrii Aleksandrovich Karpenko and Alexey Krutilin, were arrested in Denver, Colorado, and charged with conspiring with Barysheff and others in the scheme to ship technology to Russia.
According to the complaints, the three individuals conspired to get high-tech microelectronics from U.S. manufacturers and suppliers and export them to Russia while evading U.S. export controls. The products they attempted to ship included digital-to-analog converters and integrated circuits, which are used in various military systems such as radar and surveillance systems, missile guidance systems, and satellites.
The Department of Commerce currently controls the export of these technologies for anti-terrorism and national security reasons.
The individuals set up Brooklyn-based front companies in order to induce U.S. manufacturers and suppliers to sell them the equipment.
"According to the complaints, Barysheff, Karpenko, and Krutilin conspired among themselves and with others to send sensitive U.S. technology surreptitiously to Russia in violation of U.S. export law," Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Carlin said, announcing the charges. "These laws are in place to protect the national security, and we will spare no effort in pursuing and holding accountable those who seek to harm the national security by illegally procuring strategic commodities for foreign entities."
Authorities said they intervened before the individuals could successfully ship the technology to Russia, which officials indicated Thursday would have endangered national security.
"Had law enforcement not interceded, the alleged perpetrators would have exported materials that are known to be used in a wide range of military devices," said Angel Melendez, the special agent in charge for Homeland Security Investigations New York. "HSI will continue to partner with other law enforcement agencies while focusing its efforts on national security and stopping the illegal flow of sensitive technology."
If convicted, the individuals face a maximum 25 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The three individuals were reportedly jailed without bail.