Indian National Indicted for Conspiring to Illegally Export U.S. Aviation Components to Russia

Sanjay Kaushik, 57, of India, was indicted in the District of Oregon on November 20, 2024, for conspiring to export controlled aviation components, which have dual civilian and military applications, to Russia in violation of the Export Control Reform Act. Kaushik is also charged with attempting to illegally export a navigation and flight control system to Russia through India, and with making false statements in relation to these export activities. He was arrested in Miami, Florida, on October 17, 2024, following a criminal complaint and arrest warrant issued by the District of Oregon.

According to the indictment, Kaushik, starting as early as March 2023, began conspiring with others to procure aerospace components from the U.S. for Russian entities, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The components, which were being falsely declared as destined for Kaushik's company in India, were ultimately intended for Russian end users. One notable instance involved the purchase of an Attitude Heading Reference System (AHRS), a critical aviation component that provides data for navigation and flight control. AHRS components are subject to strict U.S. export controls and require a license to be sent to certain countries, including Russia.

Kaushik and his co-conspirators falsely represented the purchase of the AHRS, claiming it would be used in civilian applications, such as a helicopter, thereby attempting to circumvent export controls. However, the AHRS was detained before it could be shipped. If convicted, Kaushik faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and up to $1 million in fines for each count.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory R. Nyhus for the District of Oregon and trial attorneys from the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, including Joshua E. Kurland and Dallas J. Kaplan. The investigation is being handled by the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) in Portland, Oregon. This case was coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, which focuses on enforcing sanctions, export controls, and other economic countermeasures related to Russia's unprovoked military aggression.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen and Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) made the announcement, highlighting the United States' commitment to combating international efforts to evade sanctions and export controls.