GEOCRIME: Two U.S. Citizens Arrested for Illegally Exporting Technology to Russia
Two U.S. Citizens Arrested for Illegally Exporting Technology to Russia
Syndicated By GEO´ PRWire Team – Gibraltar
3rd March 2023
Defendants Conspired to Circumvent U.S. Export Laws to Sell Sophisticated Avionics Equipment to Russian Companies Servicing Russian-Built Aircraft
Two Kansas men were arrested today on charges related to a years-long scheme to circumvent U.S. export laws that included the illegal export of aviation-related technology to Russia after Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, and the imposition of stricter restrictions on exports to Russia.
According to the indictment, Cyril Gregory Buyanovsky, 59, of Lawrence, and Douglas Robertson, 55, of Olathe, owned and operated KanRus Trading Company, which supplied Western avionics equipment (i.e., electronics installed in aircraft) to Russian companies and provided repair services for equipment used in Russian-manufactured aircraft. Since 2020, the defendants conspired to evade U.S. export laws by concealing and misstating the true end users, value and end destinations of their exports and by transshipping items through third-party countries.
For example, between November 2020 and February 2021, the defendants received avionics equipment, including a computer processor bearing a sticker identifying Russia’s Federal Security Services (FSB), from a Russian company for repair in the United States. The defendants concealed the true end user and end destination by providing a fraudulent invoice to the shipment company identifying the end destination as Germany.
As further alleged, on Feb. 28, 2022, the defendants attempted to export avionics to Russia. U.S. authorities detained the shipment, and the U.S. Department of Commerce informed the defendants that a license was required to export the equipment to Russia. In an April 2022 communication, Robertson expressed to a Russia-based customer that “things are complicated in the USA” and that “this is NOT the right time for [more paperwork and visibility].” Subsequently, in May, June and July 2022, the defendants illegally trans-shipped avionics through Armenia and Cyprus to Russia without obtaining the required licenses. Learn More /…
