Bulgarian national Milan Dimitrov, 50, made his initial appearance in a federal court in San Antonio today after being extradited from Greece.
According to court documents, Milan Dimitrov allegedly conspired with Ilias Sabirov, 52, of Russia, and Dimitar Dimitrov, 74, of Bulgaria, to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA) in a scheme to procure sensitive radiation-hardened integrated circuits from the United States and illegally export those components to Russia through Bulgaria without the required licenses from the U.S. government.
The indictment alleges that between at least May 2014 and May 2018 the defendants used the Bulgarian company Multi Technology Integration Group EEOD (MTIG) to receive export-controlled items from the United States and transship them to Russia without the required licenses.
According to the indictment, Sabirov is the head of two Russian companies — Cosmos Complect and OOO Sovtest Comp. — and controls MTIG. Both Dimitar and Milan Dimitrov worked for Sabirov at Cosmos Complect and MTIG.
As alleged, in 2014, the defendants met with the supplier of the radiation-hardened circuits in Austin, Texas, and were informed that radiation-hardened circuits could not be shipped to Russia because of U.S. trade restrictions. Sabirov then established MTIG in Bulgaria to purchase the controlled electronic circuits, which did not require a license for export to Bulgaria. The radiation-hardened properties of these circuits made them resistant to damage or malfunction in harsh outer-space environments. The circuits were controlled for export to Russia for these very reasons. The parts were shipped to Bulgaria in 2015, and MTIG soon thereafter transshipped them to Sabirov’s companies in Russia. OOO Sovtest Comp. transferred over $1 million to MTIG for the parts.
In the same timeframe, MTIG — at Sabirov’s direction — ordered over $1.7 million in other electronic components produced by another U.S.-based electronics manufacturer. MTIG bought these parts to fulfill part of its contract with OOO Sovtest Comp. Again, the parts were shipped from the United States to Bulgaria where they were merely repackaged and then shipped to Russia.
In late 2018, a Department of Commerce Export Control Officer interviewed Milan Dimitrov during a visit to MTIG to determine whether the radiation-hardened components were still in MTIG’s possession in Bulgaria. Milan Dimitrov falsely denied sending these components on multiple occasions.
Milan Dimitrov is charged with two counts of IEEPA violations, one count of money laundering, and one count of making false statements to the Department of Commerce under ECRA regulations. Each count carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment.
Sabirov and Dimitar Dimitrov remain at large; both are charged under an indictment issued December 2020 with two counts of IEEPA violations and one count each related money laundering activities.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen from Justice Department's National Security Division alongside U.S Attorney Jaime Esparza representing Western District Texas announced charges against defendants involved.
Commerce Department's Office responsible investigating cases concerning export enforcement collaborated FBI further assistance provided by Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS).
Prosecution handled Assistant U.S Attorneys Michael C Galdo G Karthik Srinivasan working Wastern District Texas Trial Attorney Christine Bonomo associated National Security Division Counterintelligence Export Control Section Justice Department Office International Affairs coordinated Greek authorities securing extradition process concerning defendant,
An indictment merely represents allegation all defendants presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt court law
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