Canadian national Nikolay Goltsev and Brooklyn resident Salimdzhon Nasriddinov pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit export control violations for their roles in a global procurement scheme on behalf of sanctioned Russian companies.
Electronic components shipped by the defendants were later found in seized Russian weapons platforms and signals intelligence equipment in Ukraine, according to a news release.
The proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge Taryn A. Merkl. When sentenced, Goltsev and Nasriddinov each face up to 20 years in prison.
“The defendants flouted U.S. law to help Russia in its war against Ukraine, but they were stopped in their tracks and swiftly brought to justice,” said Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. “This Office will take on and successfully neutralize the complicated procurement networks that are making it possible for Russia to continue its unprovoked war against Ukraine.”
According to the plea proceeding, the defendants used two Brooklyn companies, SH Brothers Inc. and SN Electronics Inc., to unlawfully source, purchase, and ship millions of dollars in dual-use electronics from U.S. manufacturers to sanctioned end users in Russia. Some of the electronic components and integrated circuits shipped by the defendants through SH Brothers have been found in seized Russian weapons platforms and signals intelligence equipment in Ukraine.
Some of these components were critical to Russia’s precision-guided weapons systems being used against Ukraine, the DA's office said. During the period charged in the indictment, SH Brothers made hundreds of shipments valued at over $7 million to Russia.
To carry out their criminal scheme, Nasriddinov and Goltsev purchased the electronic components from U.S. manufacturers and distributors under the auspices of SH Brothers and SN Electronics, and arranged for the items to be shipped from those manufacturers and distributors to various locations in Brooklyn.
Nasriddinov and Goltsev then unlawfully shipped the items to a variety of intermediary front companies located in other countries, including Turkey, Hong Kong, India, China and the United Arab Emirates, where they were rerouted to Russia.
The defendants were aware of the potential military applications of the electronics that they exported to Russia. In a February 23, 2023 message, Nasriddinov wrote to Goltsev, “Happy Defender of the Fatherland,” referring to the holiday in Russia and parts of the former Soviet Union celebrating those who served in the armed forces. Goltsev responded, “happy holiday to you too my friend, we are defending it in the way that we can [smile emoji].”
The government seized $20,000 in cash from the New York hotel room in which defendant Goltsev was arrested. In total, the government has seized approximately $1.68 million in connection with this export scheme. A third co-defendant, Kristina Puzyreva, pleaded guilty in February 2024 to conspiracy to launder the proceeds of the export scheme. She is awaiting sentencing.
