Estonian Citizen Pleads Guilty in US to Supplying Electronics to Russia

The US Attorney's Office announced that Estonian citizen Andrey Shevlyakov pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit export violations. Court documents reveal that Shevlyakov, who was blacklisted from acquiring US goods without Commerce Department permission, used shell companies to evade export controls and supply sensitive technology to Russian military and government contractors.

Shevlyakov faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and has agreed to forfeit approximately $1.5 million. In one instance, after a US company refused to sell him components due to his Entity List status, he canceled the order and reordered days later using a different email address and a false name.

The items he obtained included low-noise prescalers and synthesizers for high-frequency communications, as well as analog-to-digital converters used in defense systems such as avionics, missiles, and electronic warfare equipment. He communicated extensively with Russian defense contractors and telecom firms about the procured items.

Shevlyakov frequently traveled between Estonia and Russia to deliver the goods, crossing the border over 100 times between 2010 and 2016, often in same-day trips. Finnish authorities once stopped him when he tried to smuggle electronics without a customs declaration, finding approximately €70,000 worth of hidden devices in his car.

Arrested by Estonian authorities in 2023, Shevlyakov was extradited to the US in August 2025. US officials emphasize that this case stems from a larger FBI investigation spanning 14 years.