Estonian national charged with helping Russian military acquire US electronics

FBI agents. Photo: Ken Steinhardt / AP / Scanpix

FBI Houston announced on social media that in cooperation with the Bureau of Industry and Security of the US Department of Commerce and Estonian Internal Security Service, a man who allegedly procured US-made electronics on behalf of the Russian government and military for more than a decade has been arrested.

Special agent in charge James Smith said that the Estonian citizen, Andrei Sevljakov, was arrested on March 28 on suspicion of procuring US-made electronics, including radar components and hacking software, on behalf of the Russian government and military.

«For years, Mr Sevljakov's elaborate web of deceit allowed him to allegedly procure sensitive American-made electronics on behalf of the Russian military. His illegal acquisitions of sophisticated US technology endangered citizens in both Ukraine and the United States,» Smith said. The announcement says that at the time of his arrest, deliveries meant for Sevljakov in Estonia, including 130 kilograms of radio equipment, were confiscated.

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum of 20 years' imprisonment.

Sevljakov engaged in this conduct despite being listed on a Department of Commerce-maintained list (the «Entity List») that designates individuals and companies who are barred from exporting items from the United States without a license. He used false names and a web of front companies to evade the Entity List's restrictions.

Smith added that FBI Houston will continue to work with the Estonian Internal Security Service, to investigate and disrupt actors who illicitly support the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by Russian armed forces.