Russian citizen arrested for illegal export of American microelectronics to Russia

A citizen of the Russian Federation and Germany was arrested for illegally exporting sensitive American military microelectronics to Russia in violation of the export control requirements of the United States of America. This is stated on the website. US Department of Justice.

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Artur Petrov, 33, was allegedly involved in a Russian illegal procurement network that, after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, purchased large quantities of sensitive microelectronics for a Russian company supplying products to the Russian military.

He is accused of violating export controls, smuggling, wire fraud and money laundering.

Petrov was involved in a scheme to purchase American microelectronics subject to US export control on behalf of a Russian supplier of critical electronic components to manufacturers supplying arms and other equipment for the Russian military. He was arrested on August 26 in Cyprus at the request of the United States.

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Artur Petrov holds dual Russian-German citizenship, resides in Russia and Cyprus, and works for Elektrokom VPK LLC, a Russian supplier of critical electronic components for manufacturers supplying weapons and other equipment for the Russian armed forces.

Petrov and two of his accomplices, who are Russian citizens and work for Elektrokom, ran an illegal procurement network in the Russian Federation and other foreign countries.

On behalf of the company, they fraudulently purchased large quantities of microelectronics subject to US export controls from US distributors. To carry out this scheme, the defendants used shell companies and other deceptive means to conceal that the electronic components were destined for Russia.

The technology that Petrov and his associates acquired in violation of export control requirements in the course of the plot has significant military applications and includes various types of electronic components that have been found in Russian military equipment in Ukraine, such as Russian guided missiles, drones, electronic devices struggle and connection.

To implement this scheme, Petrov first purchased controlled microelectronics from American electronics exporters with the help of Astrafteros Technokosmos LTD, a Cypriot company controlled by him.

Petrov purchased these sensitive electronic components, falsely representing to US exporters that Astrafteros was purchasing them for fire safety systems as well as other commercial purposes, and that the end users and recipients of the electronics were companies in Cyprus or other third countries, when in fact the components were intended for the Russian company Elektrokom, which supplies products for the Russian military.

The microelectronics purchased by Petrov as part of the conspiracy include microcontrollers and integrated circuits, which are on the Commerce Department's Watch List and cannot legally be exported or re-exported to Russia without a license from the department. Invoices provided to Petrov's company by US distributors explicitly stated that these microcontrollers and integrated circuits were subject to US export controls.

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In order to bypass the controls, Petrov and his accomplices were engaged in transshipment of controlled goods through transit organizations in third countries. The accomplices then ensured that the items were shipped to Russia. Throughout their duration The defendants concealed from American distributors that they were purchasing controlled electronic components on behalf of Elektrokom, as well as the fact that these components were intended for Russia. In the course of the conspiracy, Petrov purchased from American distributors and shipped to Russia components of controlled military electronics worth more than $225.

If convicted, Petrov faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison for one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States; a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for one count of conspiracy to violate the Export Administration Reform Act (ECRA); a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each of the three counts of violating ECRA; 5 years - one count of conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States; another 10 years for each of 3 counts of smuggling goods from the United States; 20 years for charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and another 20 years for conspiracy to commit money laundering.

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