In a significant victory for U.S. national security, an Estonian national has pleaded guilty to orchestrating a sophisticated procurement network that illegally exported millions of dollars in sensitive American electronics to Russian military and government contractors.
Andrey Shevlyakov, a resident of Tallinn, Estonia, entered his guilty plea on July 23, 2026, in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, before United States District Judge Rachel P. Kovner. The defendant now faces a maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment and has agreed to forfeit approximately $1.5 million to the U.S. government.
How the Scheme Operated
According to court documents, Shevlyakov engaged in a years-long effort to circumvent U.S. export controls, despite being added to the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security’s Entity List—which prohibited him from acquiring any items from the United States without explicit permission.
Using multiple shell companies to conceal his activities, Shevlyakov deceived U.S. manufacturers and suppliers into selling him sensitive technology and electronics. He then shipped these items to end-users in Russia, including defense contractors and Russian government agencies.
“For nearly a decade the defendant operated a foreign procurement network and supplied sophisticated U.S. technology to hostile Russian military actors, undermining U.S. national security and the security of our allies,” stated United States Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr. “Today’s guilty plea demonstrates that our Office will vigorously prosecute and hold to account those who aid Russian attempts to illegally procure U.S. technology, no matter who they are or where they reside.“
Sophisticated Evasion Tactics
Shevlyakov was acutely aware of his prohibited status but deliberately flouted U.S. export controls. In one telling instance, Shevlyakov placed an order with a U.S. company for sensitive electronic components, but the company refused to sell to him after identifying him on the Entity List. Undeterred, Shevlyakov canceled his order, only to place it again days later using a different email address and under a false name.
The items he obtained for his Russian customers were not ordinary commercial goods. They included:
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Low-noise pre-scalers and synthesizers used to conduct high-frequency communications
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Analog-to-digital converters utilized in defense systems, including avionics, missiles, and electronic warfare systems
Shevlyakov communicated extensively with Russian defense contractors and telecommunications companies about these sensitive items, coordinating their procurement and delivery.
Cross-Border Smuggling Operation
The defendant’s smuggling operation involved extensive travel between Estonia and Russia. International border crossing records for the period 2010-2016 reveal that Shevlyakov crossed the Estonian border into Russia over 100 times, many times on same-day trips.
His efforts to evade detection were not always successful. Records provided by the Finnish government showed that Shevlyakov was stopped by Finnish authorities while attempting to smuggle electronics into Russia. When stopped, he failed to provide a customs declaration, and Finnish border guards searched his vehicle, discovering approximately €70,000 worth of electronics hidden throughout the car.
International Cooperation Leads to Justice
The case represents a remarkable example of international law enforcement cooperation. Shevlyakov was initially arrested by Estonian authorities in 2023 and was extradited to the United States in August 2025.
“Andrey Shevlyakov’s arrest was the result of a spinoff case from a much larger FBI investigation that goes back some 14 years,” stated FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Jason M. Hudson. “Given the length, complexities and transnational borders involved, this case was extremely difficult, but at the end of the day our team endured and justice prevailed. Shevlyakov’s plea is the result of the FBI’s commitment to national security and relentlessness in preventing our foreign adversaries from illegally acquiring U.S. technologies for their weapons systems – technologies that can one day be used against our own service members.“
Mr. Nocella expressed appreciation to the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the Estonian Internal Security Service (KAPO) for their assistance in investigating the defendant’s conduct and securing his arrest and extradition.
Prosecution Team
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander Mindlin and Gilbert Rein are leading the prosecution, along with Trial Attorney Maria Fedor of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
A Warning to Would-Be Traffickers
This case serves as a stark warning to those who seek to circumvent U.S. export controls for the benefit of hostile foreign powers. The prosecution demonstrates the U.S. government’s commitment to tracking down and prosecuting individuals who attempt to illegally procure sensitive American technology, regardless of their location or the complexity of their schemes.
Shevlyakov’s sentencing will take place at a later date before Judge Kovner. The defendant remains in custody pending sentencing.
