Daijiworld Media Network - Portland
Portland, Jan 17: A 58-year-old Indian national, Sanjay Kaushik, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in federal prison in the United States for illegally exporting controlled aviation components from Oregon to Russia via India, violating US export laws and national security protocols.
According to the US Justice Department, Kaushik conspired with others beginning September 2023 to unlawfully obtain aerospace goods and a navigation and flight control system for Russian end users. The shipments were falsely declared as purchases for Kaushik’s Indian company, intended for civilian use, but were actually bound for Russia.
One of the critical components involved was an Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS), used to provide navigation and flight control data for aircraft. Export of such components to Russia requires a license from the US Department of Commerce, which Kaushik and his co-conspirators deliberately circumvented.
US Attorney Scott Bradford called the scheme “deliberate and profit-driven,” adding, “This was no lapse in judgment. It was a calculated, repeated scheme aimed at personal gain while undermining US national security and foreign policy.”
Assistant Attorney General for National Security, John Eisenberg, emphasised, “Those who attempt to circumvent US export control laws, especially technologies with military applications, will face the full force of the law.”
Kaushik, arrested in Miami in October 2025, had faced a three-count indictment from a federal grand jury in Portland, charging him with conspiracy to export controlled goods, attempting illegal export of aviation technology, and making false statements in connection with the export.
The investigation was led by the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and US Customs and Border Protection, while prosecution was handled by the US Attorney’s Office for Oregon and the DOJ’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Kaushik was sentenced to 30 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release, underscoring the US commitment to safeguarding sensitive technology from illegal exports.