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Vadim Yermolenko faces up to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and conspiracy to defraud the United States for his role in a transnational procurement and money laundering network that sought to acquire sensitive dual-use electronics for Russian military and intelligence services, U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of New York said.
"“This defendant admitted to playing a central role in a now-disrupted scheme with Russian intelligence services to smuggle sniper rifle ammunition and U.S. military grade equipment into Russia," Attorney General Merrick Garland said.
Yermolenko played a critical role in exporting sensitive, dual-use technologies to Russia, facilitating shipping and the movement of millions of dollars through U.S. financial institutions, authorities said
Yermolenko was affiliated with two Russian based companies that operate under Russian intelligence to procure advanced electronics for its military and research and development, authorities said.
The Saddle River resident and his co-conspirators unlawfully purchased and exported highly sensitive, export controlled electronic components, some of which can be used in the development of nuclear and hypersonic weapons, quantum computing, and other military applications, authorities said.
To carry out the scheme, Yermolenko helped set up numerous shell companies and dozens of bank accounts in the U.S. to illicitly move money and export-controlled goods. During the period charged in the indictment, more than $12 million passed through accounts owned or controlled by him, authorities said.
These funds were used in part to purchase sensitive equipment used in radar, surveillance, and military research and development. In one instance, money from one of Yermolenko's accounts was used to purchase export-controlled sniper bullets, which were intercepted in Estonia before they could be smuggled into Russia, authorities said.
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