Andrey Shevlyakov, an Estonian national, has been charged in the US for allegedly conspiring with the Russian government and military to acquire US-made electronics and hacking tools. He was arrested in Estonia on March 28, 2023, for purchasing goods that would have been unavailable to Russian end-users. Shevlyakov used Estonian-based business entities to circumvent the ban on procuring and delivering export-restricted items to Russia, which led to his addition to the Entity List in 2012.
He used false names and a network of front companies to purchase multiple items, including low-noise pre-scalers, synthesizers, and analog-to-digital converters, worth at least $800,000.
Shevlyakov was accused of running an intricate logistics operation involving frequent smuggling trips across the Russian border by himself and others to deliver the purchased goods. He also attempted to acquire computer hacking tools, including a licensed copy of the penetration testing platform Metasploit Pro, which he bought using one of his front companies.
The defendant faces a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment if convicted. FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge James Smith said that Shevlyakov’s illegal acquisitions of sophisticated U.S. technology endangered citizens in both Ukraine and the United States.
Special Agent in Charge McClish stated that the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) would continue to hunt down and bring to justice those who harm US national security and illicitly supply the Russian regime.
The case highlights the use of shell companies and false names to circumvent export control laws, and the importance of international cooperation to investigate and disrupt actors who illicitly support the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by Russian armed forces. The Estonian Internal Security Service (KAPO) worked with FBI Houston to investigate Shevlyakov’s actions, leading to his arrest. The case also underscores the risks of dual-use technologies that can be used for peaceful and military purposes, as Metasploit Pro is a penetration testing platform used by cybersecurity professionals to test the security of their own systems but can also be used by hackers to penetrate the systems of others.
