NEW YORK — A man from New Jersey has admitted to his role in a scheme aimed at smuggling electronic components in support of Russia’s military operations. Vadim Yermolenko, 43, pleaded guilty on Friday to charges of conspiracy and bank fraud, according to officials.
Yermolenko faces a potential sentence of up to 30 years behind bars for his involvement in an international network focused on procuring sensitive electronics. This operation allegedly aimed to supply these components to Russian military and intelligence sectors, as stated by Breon Peace, the U.S. attorney for Brooklyn.
Residing in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, Yermolenko holds dual citizenship in both the U.S. and Russia. He was indicted alongside six others back in December 2022.
According to prosecutors, the individuals in the conspiracy collaborated with two companies in Moscow, which are said to be linked to Russian intelligence, in their efforts to acquire electronic components from the U.S. These components, originally intended for civilian purposes, could potentially be repurposed for creating nuclear and hypersonic weapons, as well as applications in quantum computing.
The sale and transfer of such technology is in direct violation of U.S. sanctions, as pointed out by the prosecutors.
This case has been part of a broader initiative by the Justice Department known as Task Force KleptoCapture, which is dedicated to enforcing sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In a statement, Attorney General Merrick Garland remarked that Yermolenko is now among nearly two dozen individuals brought to justice by the task force over the last two and a half years for their role in supporting Russian military actions.
An attempt to obtain a comment from Yermolenko’s attorney, representing him through the federal public defender’s office, went unanswered.
Prosecutors detailed that Yermolenko was involved in creating shell companies and establishing U.S. bank accounts for transferring money and shipping restricted items. One of the accounts linked to him was reportedly used to purchase sniper bullets, which were then seized in Estonia before they could reach Russia.
One of his co-defendants, Alexey Brayman from Merrimack, New Hampshire, had previously entered a guilty plea for conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and is now awaiting his sentencing.
Another co-defendant, Vadim Konoshchenok, believed to be connected with Russia’s Federal Security Service, was arrested in Estonia but was later extradited to the U.S. He was ultimately released as part of a prisoner swap that included Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich among others.
The remaining four individuals named in the indictment are Russian nationals believed to be at large, as indicated by prosecutors.