Vadim Yermolenko, a 43-year-old dual U.S.-Russian citizen from New Jersey, has pleaded guilty to his involvement in a high-profile conspiracy to violate U.S. export laws by smuggling advanced American technology to Russia. His actions were allegedly part of a broader network of individuals and front companies tied to Russian intelligence that worked to bypass U.S. sanctions.
Smuggling U.S. Technology for Military Use
Yermolenko’s role in the scheme revolved around facilitating the illegal export of electronic components from the U.S. to Russia. According to the FBI, the components—some of which can be used in military applications such as nuclear and hypersonic weapons, as well as quantum computing—were restricted by U.S. export controls. The FBI described his actions as a significant threat to national security, noting the dangers posed by supplying such sensitive technologies to adversarial nations.
FBI Director Christopher Wray emphasized the importance of safeguarding U.S. technological innovations, stating, “The illegal export of sensitive, dual-use technologies in support of Russia’s war effort poses a significant threat to the United States and its allies and must not be tolerated.”
Russian Intelligence and Shell Companies Behind the Operation
The operation was allegedly orchestrated by Russian intelligence services, with two front companies, Serniya Engineering and Sertal, acting as intermediaries. These companies were created following the imposition of U.S. sanctions in 2022, but continued operating covertly through shell companies in Europe and Asia. Despite being blacklisted by the U.S. government, Serniya and Sertal continued to procure sensitive U.S. technology, which was then routed to Russia through a network of front companies in the U.K., Estonia, Finland, the Netherlands, Germany, and Hong Kong. Authorities estimate that at least $12 million worth of U.S. technology was exported in violation of sanctions.
Yermolenko's Role in New Jersey
Yermolenko was a key figure in the New Jersey portion of the operation. His responsibilities included acquiring, re-packaging, and shipping sensitive equipment such as lasers, signal generators, and even military-grade ammunition. To evade detection, he allegedly established fake companies, falsified shipping documents, and swapped labels to disguise the equipment’s intended destination.
Court documents reveal that Yermolenko went to great lengths to avoid suspicion. In one instance, he allegedly used his wife’s signature to forge documents. He was also recorded discussing how to deceive a bank about a suspicious transaction, labeling it as a purchase of “bicycle spare parts” in order to avoid raising red flags.
Unintended Exposure of the Operation
The smuggling ring was ultimately exposed due to a series of missteps. In one instance, a member of the network received a military-grade spectrum analyzer from the U.S. and, after encountering issues with its calibration, accidentally revealed to the manufacturer that the equipment was being used in Russia. This led to the cessation of communications between the individual and the manufacturer, who cited U.S. sanctions as the reason.
Authorities also uncovered further evidence of the network’s operation when Estonian officials apprehended Vadim Konoshchenok, an alleged FSB agent, at the Estonian-Russian border. Konoshchenok was caught with a range of sensitive electronics and ammunition. He was extradited to the U.S. but later returned to Russia as part of a prisoner exchange.
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