Washington, D.C. — In a significant development, the U.S. Department of Justice has charged a 57-year-old Indian national, Sanjay Kaushik, with conspiring to illegally export controlled aviation components to end users in Russia. Kaushik was arrested in Miami on October 17 and was indicted on Thursday, as announced in a press release from the Justice Department on Friday. The indictment alleges that Kaushik conspired to export aviation components with dual civilian and military applications, in violation of the Export Control Reform Act. The charges also include attempts to illegally export a navigation and flight control system from Oregon to Russia via India and making false statements related to the export process.
If convicted, Kaushik faces severe penalties, including a maximum of 20 years in prison and fines of up to USD 1 million for each count against him. Court documents reveal that Kaushik’s alleged activities began as early as March 2023, coinciding with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He is accused of conspiring with others to unlawfully obtain aerospace goods and technology from the U.S. for entities in Russia. Notably, the goods were acquired under the guise that they were intended for Kaushik’s Indian company, while in reality, they were destined for Russian end users.
One notable incident outlined by federal prosecutors involved the purchase of an Attitude Heading Reference System (AHRS), a crucial device used for providing navigation and flight control data for aircraft. Prosecutors claim that to secure an export license for the AHRS, Kaushik and his co-conspirators falsely represented that the component would be utilized in a civilian helicopter and that his Indian company was the end purchaser.
The AHRS was ultimately detained prior to its export from the United States, underscoring the proactive measures taken by federal authorities to prevent the illegal diversion of sensitive technology to foreign adversaries. As investigations continue, this case highlights the ongoing challenges of export control violations amid heightened global tensions and the risks associated with the unlawful transfer of aerospace technologies.