Estonian National Accused of Providing Sensitive US Electronics to Russian Military
An Estonian man faces charges in the United States for allegedly acquiring US-made electronics and computer hacking tools on behalf of the Russian government and military
Federal Bureau of Investigations
Andrey Shevlyakov, 45, was arrested in Estonia on March 28 and has been charged with 18 counts of conspiracy, among other offenses.
Shevlyakov had already been placed on a "ban list" for procuring and delivering export-restricted items to Russia. In order to circumvent these restrictions, he is accused of using false identities and shell companies to order and pay for the items.
The items in question include integrated circuits, low-noise pre-scalers, resistors, synthesizers, and analog-to-digital converters, which are components found in defense systems such as avionics, electronic warfare systems, missiles, and software-defined radio.
The indictment also alleges that Shevlyakov and a Russian associate attempted to acquire a licensed copy of Metasploit Pro, a US-made penetration testing tool that is not directly available for purchase in Russia. The software costs roughly $15,000 per year. In May 2020, Shevlyakov reportedly used one of his shell companies to successfully purchase a licensed copy of Metasploit Pro.
Authorities claim that between 2012 and 2022, Shevlyakov exported at least $800,000 worth of sensitive US electronics to Russia. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.