Belorussian Citizen Arrested for Illegally Exporting U.S.-Sourced Aviation Components to Russia

WASHINGTON - Yana Leonova, 33, a Belorussian citizen most recently residing in Russia, was extradited from France yesterday on an indictment charging her with conspiring to violate the Export Control Reform Act, to commit smuggling, to commit money laundering, and to defraud the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Assistant Attorney General John Eisenberg of the Department of Justice's National Security Division.

Leonova, aka "Yana Liavonava," made her initial appearance today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Joining in the announcement were FBI Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the Counterintelligence Division, FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen A. Cyrus of the Kansas City, Mo., Field Office and Jonathan Carson of the Bureau of Industry and Security's Office of Export Enforcement (BIS/OEE).

The indictment alleges that following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in May 2022, Leonova - using co-conspirators located in the United States - procured and illicitly exported from the United States to Russia numerous avionics and other aircraft equipment. The exported items were for use on private aircraft operated by Leonova's former employer a company identified on the U.S. Department of Commerce's Entity List.

As part of the conspiracy, Leonova and her co-conspirators purchased the aircraft components from U.S.-based distributors. Using companies located in Armenia, the Maldives, and elsewhere, they then transshipped the components to Russia without the required licenses from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

"This defendant tried to circumvent U.S. law to enrich herself by procuring and illicitly exporting, from the United States to Russia, avionics, and other prohibited equipment," said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. "She used intermediary countries in an effort to block the identity of the final recipient in Russia where licenses from the U.S. Department of Commerce were needed."

"The FBI's investigation revealed that Yana Leonova allegedly conspired to evade U.S. export laws by selling sensitive aircraft equipment to Russia," said FBI Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the Counterintelligence Division. "The FBI has made it a top priority to keep U.S. technology from making its way into our adversaries' hands, and we ask all our private sector partners to remember the critical role they play in safeguarding our national security by reporting violations. And to anyone considering helping a hostile nation-state obtain export-controlled technology, let today's charges serve as a warning to you: the FBI and our partners will find you, no matter where you are, and bring you to justice."

"The Bureau of Industry and Security's Office of Export Enforcement remains steadfast in protecting U.S. national security and ensuring the integrity of our export control system," said BIS-OEE Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Carson. "Working closely with our law enforcement and international partners, we will continue to uncover and disrupt illicit procurement networks wherever they operate."

"Today's announcement is the culmination of years of work for the FBI and underscores our commitment to identifying those who allegedly violate national export laws," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen A. Cyrus of the Kansas City Field Office. "We're thankful to the team of investigators, the Department of Justice, the United States Marshals Service, and our French allies for their help in the extradition of Leonova, who will now face these charges in a U.S. court."

As alleged, Leonova and her co-conspirators repeatedly concealed and misstated the true end users and end destinations of the aircraft components ordered by Leonova by submitting false information on documents. She caused the items to be transshipped to Russia through intermediary destinations and caused payments in U.S. dollars to be transmitted from foreign bank accounts to bank accounts in the United States.

This case is being investigated by FBI Kansas City and BIS/OEE Atlanta and New York. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stuart D. Allen and John W. Borchert of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys Sean R. Heiden and Kara Podraza of the National Security Division's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

Significant assistance on the extradition was provided by French authorities and the Department of Justice Office of International Affairs. The Department expresses deep appreciation for the support of our French allies.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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