Two Russian-Canadians charged with allegedly evading sanctions, providing US$10M in electronics to Kremlin

Two Russian-Canadian nationals have been charged in the U.S. with sending millions of dollars in semiconductors, integrated circuits and other dual-use electronics to Russia through Brooklyn front companies.

American authorities said 37-year-old Nikolay Goltsev and 32-year-old Kristina Puzyreva of Montreal were arrested in a Manhattan hotel Tuesday morning.

Salimdzhon Nasriddinov, a 52-year-old Brooklyn resident and Russia-Tajikistan dual citizen, was also arrested, according to a news release from the United States Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of New York.

The suspects, over the course of a year, allegedly exported more than 300 shipments of restricted items valued at about US$10 million to Russia, evading U.S. sanctions on Russian entities and companies affiliated with the Russian military, according to the release.

The two Brooklyn-registered corporate companies, where shipments were allegedly facilitated through, are SH Brothers Inc. and SN Electronics Inc.

American authorities say Goltsev received orders from Russian end users in the defence and technology sectors who sought certain items or parts from the U.S.

Goltsev allegedly communicated with U.S. manufactures and distributors with an alias name like “Nick Stevens” or “Gio Ross,” authorities say.

Goltsev and Nasriddinov allegedly purchased the electronic parts from U.S. manufacturers under the Brooklyn companies and arranged for the items to be sent to various locations in Brooklyn before unlawfully shipping items to various countries like Turkiye, Hong Kong, China, and the United Arab Emirates, where it was rerouted to Russia, the release noted.

Puzyreva allegedly operated several bank accounts and financial transactions for the shipments.

Authorities say the defendants were aware that the exported electronics had potential military applications due to a range of message exchanges between Goltsev and Nasriddinov from November 2022 to February 2023.

The U.S. Department of Commerce described SH Brothers Inc.’s shipped contents as “of the highest concern due to their critical role in the production of advanced Russian precision-guided weapons systems, Russia’s lack of domestic production and limited global manufacturers,” the release said.

Authorities say some of the electronic parts and integrated circuits shipped include Torn-MDM radio reconnaissance complex, the RB-301B “Borisoglebsk-2” electronic warfare complex, the Izdeliye 305E light multi-purpose guided missile, and the Vitebsk L370 airborne counter missile system.

“The defendants allegedly were part of a global procurement scheme designed to evade United States’ sanctions and export controls. This case, once again, shows the willingness of Russia to ignore the laws of the United States, using illegal procurement networks to provide for their military,” FBI assistant director-in-charge James Smith said in the release.