By chatnewstv.com
PORTLAND, Ore. — A man from Delhi, India, was sentenced Thursday to 30 months in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to illegally export controlled aviation components and flight technology from Oregon to Russia, federal prosecutors announced.
Sanjay Kaushik, 58, was also ordered to serve 36 months of supervised release following his prison term. He pleaded guilty in October to conspiring to violate the Export Control Reform Act by attempting to funnel dual-use technology—items with both civilian and military applications—to Russian end users.
According to court documents, the scheme began in September 2023. Kaushik and his co-conspirators used his India-based company as a front to purchase aerospace goods from U.S. suppliers, claiming the parts were for civilian use in India. In reality, the equipment was destined for Russia, bypassing strict export controls and sanctions.
“This was no lapse in judgment,” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “It was a calculated, profit-driven scheme involving repeated transactions, substantial gains, and coordination with foreign co-conspirators, including sanctioned Russian entities.”
One of the key items involved was an Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS), a sophisticated device used for aircraft navigation and flight control. Kaushik falsely told an Oregon supplier the device would be used for a civilian helicopter in India. Federal authorities intercepted the AHRS before it could be shipped out of the United States.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg emphasized the threat such schemes pose to international stability.
“Those who scheme to circumvent U.S. export control laws—especially when it involves technologies with military applications—will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Eisenberg said.
Kaushik was arrested in Miami in October 2024 and has remained in custody since. His sentencing concludes an investigation led by the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
