Yana Leonova, a 33-year-old citizen of Belarus who had been living in Russia, was extradited from France to the United States on charges related to the illegal export of U.S.-sourced aviation components to Russia. She appeared for the first time in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia following her extradition.
According to an indictment, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in May 2022, Leonova and her co-conspirators acquired avionics and aircraft equipment from distributors in the United States. These items were then shipped through intermediary countries such as Armenia and the Maldives before reaching Russia. The components were intended for use by a company where Leonova was previously employed, which is listed on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Entity List.
The indictment alleges that Leonova and others concealed the true end users and destinations by submitting false documentation and routing payments through foreign bank accounts into accounts in the United States. The necessary licenses from the U.S. Department of Commerce were not obtained for these exports.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro stated, “This defendant tried to circumvent U.S. law to enrich herself by procuring and illicitly exporting, from the United States to Russia, avionics, and other prohibited equipment. She used intermediary countries in an effort to block the identity of the final recipient in Russia where licenses from the U.S. Department of Commerce were needed.”
FBI Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky said, “The FBI’s investigation revealed that Yana Leonova allegedly conspired to evade U.S. export laws by selling sensitive aircraft equipment to Russia. The FBI has made it a top priority to keep U.S. technology from making its way into our adversaries’ hands, and we ask all our private sector partners to remember the critical role they play in safeguarding our national security by reporting violations. And to anyone considering helping a hostile nation-state obtain export-controlled technology, let today’s charges serve as a warning to you: the FBI and our partners will find you, no matter where you are, and bring you to justice.”
Jonathan Carson from the Bureau of Industry and Security’s Office of Export Enforcement (BIS/OEE) commented, “The Bureau of Industry and Security’s Office of Export Enforcement remains steadfast in protecting U.S. national security and ensuring the integrity of our export control system. Working closely with our law enforcement and international partners, we will continue to uncover and disrupt illicit procurement networks wherever they operate.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen A. Cyrus added, “Today’s announcement is the culmination of years of work for the FBI and underscores our commitment to identifying those who allegedly violate national export laws,” also expressing gratitude for assistance provided by French authorities during Leonova’s extradition.
The investigation is being conducted by teams at FBI Kansas City as well as BIS/OEE offices in Atlanta and New York. Prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stuart D. Allen and John W. Borchert along with Trial Attorneys Sean R. Heiden and Kara Podraza from DOJ’s National Security Division.
French authorities played a significant role during extradition proceedings alongside support from DOJ’s Office of International Affairs.
Leonova faces charges including conspiracy under statutes governing export controls, smuggling, money laundering, and defrauding the United States; she is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
