Feds indict seven in Russian smuggling ring case
(NewsNation) — Seven individuals — two American citizens and five Russian nationals — were named in a federal indictment Wednesday for allegedly purchasing and shipping millions of dollars worth of U.S. military and nuclear technology to Russia.
Court documents obtained by CBS News in Boston revealed one of the Americans, 35-year-old Alexey Brayman, and his wife used their New Hampshire home as base for a Russian smuggling ring, where they allegedly fabricated invoices and repackaged military-grade items to locations in Europe and Asia, all through the American e-commerce site Etsy.
The indictment claims the home had “advanced electronics and sophisticated testing equipment used in quantum computing, hypersonic and nuclear weapons development and other military and space-based military applications.”
Per the outlet, documents allege Brayman “repeatedly used the New Hampshire Residence as a transshipment point for repackaging sensitive military-grade (sic) and export-controlled items and forwarding them to intermediate locations in Europe and Asia, from where they were transshipped to Russia.”
Vadim Knoshchenok — a 48-year-old suspected officer with Russia’s Federal Security Service involved in the plot — was arrested in Estonia last month and will now be extradited to the U.S.
He’s been accused of transhipping the materials back to Russia. He was stopped at the Estonia border, traveling with 35 semiconductors and 20 cases of U.S.-made bullets.
Brayman appeared in court Tuesday. He was released on a $250,000 bond and faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted.