The United States accused the seven of facilitating the flow of military technology and Venezuelan oil to sanctioned Russian companies

US prosecutors on Wednesday indicted five Russian citizens and two businessmen in connection with Venezuela’s state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela. Avoid obstacles Other charges include plans to ship Venezuelan crude to Russian and Chinese buyers.

Defendants: Yuri Orekov; Artem Uss; Svetlana Zhurukasheva; John Fernando Serrano Ponce; John Carlos Soto; Timothy Telekin; Y Sergey Dulyakov.

Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn said they were Russian nationals Yuri Orekov Y Svetlana Kusurkasheva They obtained military technologies from American manufacturers and shipped them to Russian end-users, including sanctioned companies.

Orekov was arrested in Germany on Monday. Another Russian national accused in the case, Artem Uss, was arrested in Italy and the United States is seeking his extradition, prosecutors said. Company Reuters He could not immediately reach any of the defendants for comment.

US law enforcement is looking Prioritize the use of sanctions on Russia to pressure the Kremlin to end its aggression in Ukraine.

Prosecutors said Orekhov and Uss used a Germany-based company called Nord-Deutsche Industrieanlagenbau GmbH, known as NDA. on the facade to purchase Military and dual-use technologies such as semiconductors, radars and satellites.

They shipped the goods to Russian end users, including through sanctioned entities controlled by Timofey Telegin and Sergey Tulyakov, the other Russian nationals indicted on Wednesday.

Orekhov and Uss also used NDA Shipping millions of barrels of oil From Venezuela to buyers in Russia and China, the US imposed sanctions in 2019 to negotiate with PDVSA, the Venezuelan state oil company, along with two other defendants, Juan Fernando Serrano and Juan Carlos Soto.

Orekhov identifies himself as an “entrepreneur” on his LinkedIn social network profile. Additionally, he claims to be the CEO of a private company (NDA). Merchandise trading Located in the European Union.

Serrano Ponce, meanwhile, is presented on the same platform as CEO at Spain-based Treseus – Cross Trading: “We are experts in the Middle East. We help companies develop and expand their international business.

A 12-count indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn. Biron peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Michael J. Driscoll, Acting Deputy Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); Jonathan Carson, Special Agent in Charge; And Andrew Adams, director of the KleptoCapture Task Force, announced the allegations.

As, the accused They were the criminal instigators of oligarchs, orchestrating a complex scheme to illegally acquire U.S. military technology and Venezuela-licensed oil through myriad transactions involving shell companies and cryptocurrencies. Their efforts have undermined security, economic stability and the rule of law around the world,” said US Attorney Pease. “We will continue to investigate, disrupt and prosecute Fueling Russia’s Brutal War in UkraineAvoid sanctions and sustain the underground economy of transnational money laundering.

“Today we announce the removal A sophisticated network with at least five Russian citizens and two Venezuelan citizens, each of which is directly linked to corrupt state-owned enterprises that knowingly tried to cover up the theft of US military technology and profit from black businesses. oil market,” said Driscoll, deputy director in charge of the FBI. “This network plans to acquire cutting-edge technology in direct support of the Russian Federation’s military-industrial complex. Even as America’s adversaries seek innovative ways to undermine America, wherever they seek safe haven, they will continue to be met with the FBI’s determination to tirelessly uncover and counter all threats to America’s national security.”

“Complex criminal programs such as these require constant coordination and cooperation between federal law enforcement and international partners. I am proud of our team of dedicated law enforcement professionals for their teamwork and dedication to enforcing US export controls,” said US Commerce Department Special Agent in Charge Carson. “We will continue to implement unprecedented export controls in response to illegal warfare, and the Office of Export Control intends to pursue these violators wherever they are around the world,” he concluded.

(With information from Reuters and Justive.gov)

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