A New Jersey man admitted to being among eight accused of smuggling export-regulated equipment to Russia as a method to aid the Kremlin’s war effort and avoid U.S. sanctions against the federation, federal authorities said.
Vadim Yermolenko, 43, of Upper Saddle River, faces 30 years in prison on conspiracy to commit bank fraud for his role in a scheme to export dual-use electronics to Russia to aid its military and intelligence services.
He pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Hector Gonzalez in New York last week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said Yermolenko was one of nearly two dozen criminals who, for over two years, conspired to aid Russia’s military aggression. The nation launched an attack against its western neighbor Ukraine in 2022, after which President Joe Biden’s administration levied sanctions against the Kremlin.
“This defendant admitted to playing a central role in a now-disrupted scheme with Russian intelligence services to smuggle sniper rifle ammunition and U.S. military-grade equipment into Russia,” Garland said in a statement Friday.
Yermolenko holds dual citizenship in both Russia and the United States, prosecutors said. Investigators found he was affiliated with two Moscow-based companies that procured advanced electronics and sophisticated testing equipment for the country’s industrial and research and development sector.
“Whether it was from misplaced foreign allegiance or pure greed, Yermolenko aided Russia’s military and intelligence agencies in circumventing policies meant to keep the Russian ‘war machine’ in check,” said Thomas M. Fattorusso, special agent in charge of IRS-CI New York.
The Justice Department said the entities controlled a network of shell companies and bank accounts worldwide, including in the United States, which helped Russia hide its involvement in the scheme.
Yermolenko, court papers say, funneled $12 million through U.S.-based bank accounts used to purchase sensitive equipment used in radar, surveillance and military research and development intended for the Russian government.
Investigators found one of the defendants charged in the indictment bought sniper bullets bound for Russia but were seized in Estonia, one of Russia’s western neighbors. In other cases, the conspirators exported highly sensitive, export-controlled electronic components known to help form nuclear and hypersonic weapons, quantum computing and other military applications.
Four conspirators remain at large. Alexey Brayman, of New Hampshire, previously pleaded guilty to defrauding the U.S. and is awaiting sentencing.
Separately, another conspirator, Vadim Konoshchenok, was returned to Russia as part of a prisoner exchange in August that included New Jersey resident and Wall Street Journal writer Evan Gershkovich.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription.
Eric Conklin may be reached at [email protected].
