One Brooklyn resident and two Russian-Canadian Nationals have been charged with conspiracy and other related charges in a ‘global procurement scheme’ on behalf of Russian entities. The entities include companies affiliated with the Russian military and are currently under sanctions by the U.S. government.
Salimdzhon Nasriddinov, a Brooklyn resident and dual citizen of Russia and Tajikistan, was arrested Tuesday morning, in Brooklyn. Nikolay Gotsev and Kristina Puzyreva were arrested at Manhattan hotel that same morning.
Electronic components and integrated circuits shipped by the defendants have been found in weapon platforms seized in Russia, and in Russian signal intelligence equipment seized in Ukraine.
“As alleged, the defendants evaded sanctions, shipping equipment to Russia vital for their precision-guided weapons systems, some of which has been used on the battlefield in Ukraine,” stated U.S. Attorney Breon Peace. “Individuals and companies in the Eastern District should know that our Office will use all tools available to prosecute those who evade sanctions to aid hostile nation states.”
The defendants being in custody are reported to have disrupted a sophisticated network allegedly used to procure critical technologies for the Russian military’s advanced weapon systems, stated Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen.
According to Ivan J. Arvelo, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, New York, the defendants are alleged to have illegally exported millions of dollars in electronics in support of the Kremlin in its attacks on Ukraine. These criminals are also reported to have dispatched over 300 shipments of restricted items, valued at approximately $7 million USD, to the Russian battlefield.
According to a release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of New York, the defendants used two corporate entities registered in Brooklyn to facilitate the scheme. The entities were SH Brothers Inc. and SN Electronics Inc.