Illegal Export of Aviation Components from Oregon to Russia Results in Federal Charges

PORTLAND, Ore.-A federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment Wednesday charging a Delhi, India man with conspiring and attempting to export controlled aviation components and a navigation and flight control system to end users in Russia, in violation of the Export Control Reform Act.

Sanjay Kaushik, age 57, of India, has been charged with conspiring to export controlled aviation components with dual civilian and military applications to end users in Russia. Kaushik is also charged with attempting to illegally export a navigation and flight control system from Oregon to Russia through India, and with making false statements in connection with an export.

The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Natalie K. Wight for the District of Oregon, Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the National Security Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, and Special Agent in Charge Brent Burmester of the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Portland Field Office.

According to court documents, beginning in early September 2023, Kaushik is alleged to have conspired with others to unlawfully obtain aerospace goods and technology from the United States for entities in Russia. The goods were purchased under the false pretense that they would be supplied to Kaushik and his Indian company, when in fact they were destined for Russian end users.

In one such instance, Kaushik and his co-conspirators purchased an Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS), which is a device that provides navigation and flight control data for aircraft, from an Oregon-based supplier. Components such as the AHRS require a license from the Department of Commerce to be exported to certain countries, including Russia. To obtain an export license for the AHRS, Kaushik and his co-conspirators falsely claimed that Kaushik's Indian company was the end purchaser and that the component would be used in a civilian helicopter. Kaushik and his co-conspirators obtained the AHRS - which was ultimately detained before it was exported from the United States - on behalf of and with the intention of shipping it, through India, to a customer in Russia.

Kaushik was arrested in Miami, Florida on October 17, 2024, pursuant to a criminal complaint and arrest warrant issued by the United States District Court for the District of Oregon.

Kaushik made his initial appearance in federal court today before a District of Oregon U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and ordered detained pending a 7-day jury trial scheduled to begin on January 21, 2025.

If convicted, Kaushik faces maximum penalties of 20 years in prison and a fine of not more than $1,000,000 for each count in the indictment.

The case is being investigated by BIS Portland. It is being prosecuted by Gregory R. Nyhus, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon and Trial Attorneys Joshua E. Kurland and Dallas J. Kaplan of the National Security Division's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.