2 Plead Guilty to Sending Electric Components to Sanctioned Russian Firms

Nikolay Goltsev of Montreal and Brooklyn, New York, resident Salimdzhon Nasriddinov pleaded guilty July 9 to conspiracy to commit export control violations. The two men shipped electronic components to sanctioned Russian companies, some of which were then found in "seized Russian weapons platforms and signals intelligence equipment in Ukraine," according to DOJ.

The pair used two New York companies -- SH Brothers Inc. and SN Electronics Inc. -- to "unlawfully source, purchase, and ship" dual-use electronic goods from U.S. companies to Russian companies, DOJ said. The parts were found in Russian weapons systems, including certain unmanned aerial vehicles, multipurpose guided missiles and battle tanks. DOJ said the duo carried out hundreds of shipments, valued at over $7 million.

Nasriddinov and Goltsev used various intermediary companies located in Turkey, Hong Kong, India, China and the United Arab Emirates to reexport the goods to Russia. U.S. authorities seized around $1.68 million in connection with the scheme, and each man faces a maximum prison stint of 20 years.