A Bulgarian national made his first appearance in a federal court in San Antonio, following his extradition from Greece on charges of illegal export of sensitive microelectronics to Russia. Milan Dimitrov, 50, stands accused of conspiring to procure and export radiation-hardened integrated circuits from the United States to Russia, which are restricted due to their potential military applications. This technology is designed to resist damage in outer space, making it a prized commodity for strategic industries.

The Justice Department claims that Dimitrov worked with others to circumvent strict export controls. According to the Office of Public Affairs, from May 2014 to May 2018, the conspirators used a Bulgarian company, Multi Technology Integration Group EEOD (MTIG), to serve as a front for the transshipment of controlled items to Russia without U.S. licenses, reportedly. They aimed to intentionally defy the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA). Dimitrov, alongside fellow Bulgarian Dimitar Dimitrov, 74, and Russian national Ilias Sabirov, 52, allegedly orchestrated the scheme.

In a detailed indictment sourced from the Office of Public Affairs, the trio is said to have established MTIG specifically to acquire these sensitive circuits that are permitted for shipment to Bulgaria but not to Russia. Despite being informed by a supplier in Austin, Texas that direct exports to Russia were prohibited, MTIG still proceeded to transship over $1 million worth of these components to Russia after they were first delivered to Bulgaria in 2015.

Moreover, the indictment alleges that MTIG was directed by Sabirov to purchase additional electronic components from another U.S.-based manufacturer worth over $1.7 million. These parts, though initially shipped to Bulgaria, were also purportedly repackaged and quickly sent on to Russia. Authorities were clued into the operation when Milan Dimitrov, during an interview with a Department of Commerce Export Control Officer, falsely claimed the components had not been forwarded to Russia.

Milan Dimitrov is now facing serious charges, including two counts of IEEPA violations, one count of money laundering, and one count of making false statements in violation of ECRA, each carrying a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison, as per the Office of Public Affairs. Remaining at large are his alleged accomplices, Sabirov and Dimitar Dimitrov, who are similarly charged. This case, as presented in court documents, underscores the ongoing challenges in preventing sensitive technology from being diverted to nations where it may augment military capabilities.