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Sanjay Kaushik from Delhi, India, was yesterday sentenced to federal prison for violating the Export Control Reform Act when he conspired to export aviation components and a navigation and flight control system from an Oregon-based supplier to Russia.
The 58-year-old was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison and three years of supervised release.
A federal grand jury in Portland returned a three-count indictment in November 2024, charging Kaushik with export control violations and attempting to illegally export a navigation and flight control system from Oregon to Russia, via India. He was also indicted for making false statements on export documents.
Here is a quick glossary for the export control terms referenced in this case:
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Export Control Reform Act | The law that authorizes Commerce export controls for many dual use goods and technology |
| License to export | Government approval required before shipping certain controlled items to certain countries or end users |
| End user and destination | Who will receive the item and where it will actually go, both must be accurate on export paperwork |
| Dual use | Commercial items that can also support military capability, which is why they can be controlled |
| False statements | Lying on export forms can be prosecuted separately from the underlying export control violation |
It Was a Calculated and Profit-Driven Scheme
Oregon U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford described the violations as ‘a calculated, profit-driven scheme,’ which involved repeated transactions, substantial gains, and coordination with foreign co-conspirators.’ Bradford stated that the defendant had undermined safeguards critical to U.S. security.
According to court documents, Kaushik had conspired with others to obtain aerospace goods and technology for entities in Russia, and had made purchases under false pretenses, saying that the goods would be supplied to his company in India.
The AHRS System Provides Navigation and Flight Control Data
The Altitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS), from a supplier in Oregon, provides navigation and flight control data for aircraft.
To obtain a license to export the AHRS, Kaushik and his co-conspirators falsely claimed that his company, based in India, was the recipient, whereas the device was destined for a customer in Russia. Kaushlik claimed the AHRS would be used in a civilian helicopter.
Kaushik has been in custody since his arrest in Miami, Florida, on October 17, 2024 He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to sell export-controlled aviation components, with dual civilian and military applications, to users in Russia.
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