Two Russian nationals have pleaded guilty to charges related to illegally sending controlled aviation technology to Russia. Oleg Sergeyevhich Patsulya and Vasilii Sergeyevich Besedin admitted to conspiring to violate the Export Control Reform Act by unlawfully exporting aircraft technology to Russian end users, as reported in court documents.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland expressed the seriousness of the situation, stating, “These defendants smuggled sensitive aircraft technology into Russia following its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and did so in violation of laws designed to protect America’s national security.”
FBI Director Christopher Wray emphasized the impact of such actions on the U.S. economy and national security, saying, “When adversaries steal our technology to strengthen their economies, American industry suffers.”
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division highlighted the defendants' fraudulent activities, stating, “By their own admission, the defendants fraudulently procured millions of dollars’ worth of U.S.-origin aircraft equipment to smuggle to Russian airline companies.”
The case, which began in May 2022, involved the defendants acquiring aircraft parts from U.S. suppliers and illegally exporting them to Russia. The defendants were aware that the items were controlled and required a license for export, but they provided false information to U.S. suppliers to conceal the true destination of the parts.
To avoid detection, Besedin and Patsulya resorted to using straw buyer-companies located overseas and making false representations about their true customers. They also attempted to mislead law enforcement by providing false information during transactions and in export compliance forms.
The illegal scheme involved the transfer of at least $4,582,288 from Russian airline companies through Turkish bank accounts to American bank accounts associated with Patsulya’s company. As part of the plea agreement, Patsulya agreed to forfeit this sum of money.
Both defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to export items without a license, with Patsulya also admitting to conspiracy to commit international money laundering. The maximum penalty for these charges is 20 years in prison, and sentencing is scheduled for June 17.
The investigation was conducted jointly by the BIS Phoenix Field Office and the FBI Phoenix Field Office, with valuable assistance from other agencies. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Todd M. Allison and William G. Voit, along with Trial Attorney Christopher M. Rigali of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
The coordinated efforts of the Disruptive Technology Strike Force and Task Force KleptoCapture were instrumental in addressing the illegal export of sensitive American goods and technologies to sanctioned foreign actors. These interagency law enforcement initiatives aim to prevent unauthorized acquisition of critical technology by hostile nations and enforce sanctions imposed in response to international conflicts.