A New Jersey resident, who holds dual U.S. and Russian citizenship, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for a scheme involving global export control violations and efforts to evade U.S. sanctions. Vadim Yermolenko was involved in a network that acquired ammunition and sensitive dual-use electronics destined for Russian military and intelligence services. Along with the prison term, he has been ordered to pay a forfeiture money judgment of $75,547.00, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of New York.
In November 2024, Yermolenko pled guilty to multiple charges, including conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act, bank fraud conspiracy, and conspiracy to defraud the United States. Quoting United States Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr., "The defendant lied to banks, facilitated the illegal export of ammunition and sensitive technology, and evaded income taxes, all as part of a global procurement and money laundering network operated on behalf of the Russian government." Nocella emphasized the message this sentencing sends to individuals contemplating similar criminal activities on behalf of foreign nations, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
As reported by law enforcement officials, Yermolenko's actions included laundering over $12 million through shell companies and bank accounts, aiding Russia's military technological advancements in violation of U.S. laws, which created a threat to national security. In recounting Yermolenko's exploits, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia stated, "The FBI will continue to be unrelenting in our efforts to defend the homeland, identity those responsible, and bring them to justice," noting the extensive work done to prevent American manufactured goods from supporting the militaries of adversarial foreign powers, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The procurement companies Serniya Engineering and Sertal LLC, based in Moscow and affiliated with the defendant, operated a vast network of shell companies internationally, cloaking the Russian government's involvement and obscuring the ultimate recipients of U.S. equipment. Caught transnationally engaging in transactions, one instance revealed that money from Yermolenko's accounts was used to purchase export-controlled sniper bullets, intercepted in Estonia before reaching Russian hands. Special Agent in Charge at IRS-CI New York, Harry T. Chavis, Jr., told the press how Yermolenko's "sophisticated network of shell companies and bank accounts" functioned to subvert American export restrictions, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Additional acknowledgments were made to the collaborative efforts of various agencies, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Justice's Office of International Affairs. Among Yermolenko's co-conspirators, Nikolaos Bogonikolos has been sentenced to 15 months' incarceration after pleading guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, while Alexey Brayman awaits sentencing after admitting guilt to conspiracy to defraud the United States.
