On Tuesday, the United States allegedly charged five Russian nationals and two U.S. nationals.
On Tuesday, the United States allegedly charged five Russian nationals and two U.S. nationals.
The United States Charges Five Russian Nationals and two U.S. Nationals
The accused five Russian nationals and two U.S. nationals are currently facing a 16-count indictment of conspiring money laundering and conducting a global procurement on behalf of the Russian government.
According to Justice Department that one of those indicted is a suspected Russian Federal Security service (FSB) officer. Moreover, it is said that the defendants conspired to acquire military-grade and dual-use technologies from U.S. companies for Russia’s defense sector, and by smuggling sniper rifle ammunition in violation of new U.S. sanctions imposed earlier this year.
The responsible persons for the charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States were Alexey Brayman, 35, from New Hampshire; and Vadim Yermolenko, 41, from New Jersey. and the five Russians from Moscow were Yevgeniy Grinin, 44, Aleksey Ippolitov, 57, and Svetlana Skvortsova, 41, and Boris Livshits, 52, and Vadim Konoshchenok, 48, are both from St. Petersburg. (The United States Department of Justice)
Brayman and Yermolenko were arrested and charged with bank fraud conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy while Konoshchenok, a suspected FSB officer, was arrested in Estonia on Dec. 6 and will be subjected to extradition procedure to the US. As stated Ippolitov, Grinin, Skvortsova, and Livshits were still at large.
The U.S. Will not Tolerate any Criminal Schemes
The indictment alleges that the defendants unlawfully acquired and exported extremely sensitive and tightly regulated electronic components, some of which are potentially being used for creating nuclear and hypersonic missiles, quantum computing, and other military uses.
Lisa O. Monaco the Deputy Attorney General has made clear not to tolerate any criminal schemes in supporting the Russian military war. FBI Director Christopher Wray said they will also engage, with their partners, to find and halt illegal transfers of weapons and dual use-technology towards Russia to demonstrate the ability and willingness to go beyond the American borders Additionally, The FBI will remain relentless against illegal transfers that aids such industries in hostile countries while maintaining to focus on protecting strategic technology innovation here at the U.S.
