International Arms Dealer Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Export Firearms to Russia

Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, Kyrgyz national Sergei Zharnovnikov pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit export violations.  The defendant exported firearms and ammunition worth over $1.5 million from the United States to Russia, in violation of U.S. law. When sentenced, Zharnovnikov faces up to 20 years in prison.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; John Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Jonathan Carson, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement, New York Field Office (BIS-OEE), announced the guilty plea.

“The defendant admitted that he purchased American-made, military-grade firearms and re-exported them to Russia,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Today’s guilty plea is the culmination of extensive investigative work, showing that this Office will not allow merchants of lethal weapons to flout U.S. sanctions.”

“By his own admission, Zharnovnikov willfully violated U.S. export controls to smuggle American-made firearms into Russia,” stated Assistant Attorney General for National Security Eisenberg.  “The National Security Division will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to disrupt illicit arms networks and prosecute those who illegally transfer U.S. weaponry abroad.”

“Sergei Zharnovnikov admitted to violating export control laws by exporting US semi-automatic firearms to Russia via Kyrgyzstan.  Schemes designed to evade export laws are not only illegal but also endanger our country’s security.  The FBI along with our partners will continue our efforts to defend the homeland by bringing to justice any criminal attempting to evade the laws enacted to protect our national security,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia.

According to court filings and statements made during the plea proceeding, the defendant is the owner of an arms dealer located in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (Kyrgyzstan Company-1).  Since at least March 2020, the defendant, together with others, has conspired to export firearms controlled by the United States Department of Commerce (DOC) from the United States to Russia.  The defendant exported $1,582,836.52 worth of U.S.-manufactured firearms and ammunition from the United States to Russia.  In one transaction, he entered into a five‑year, $900,000 contract with a company in the United States (U.S. Company‑1) to purchase and export U.S. Company-1 firearms to Kyrgyzstan.  DOC issued a license for U.S. Company-1 to export firearms to Kyrgyzstan Company-1, but the license prohibited the export or re-export of the firearms to Russia.  Nevertheless, the defendant exported and re-exported U.S. Company‑1 firearms to Russia (via Kyrgyzstan), including semi‑automatic hybrid rifle-pistols from U.S. Company-1.

According to an export filing, U.S. Company-1 exported semi-automatic rifles from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Kyrgyzstan Company-1 on or about July 10, 2022.  On or about November 14, 2022, the General Director of a Russian company that is a client of the defendant executed a tax form listing the same semi‑automatic rifle‑pistols that U.S. Company‑1 had exported to Kyrgyzstan Company‑1, the defendant’s company.  The defendant did not apply for, obtain, or possess a license to export or re-export the semi‑automatic pistol-rifles to Russia.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section.  Assistant United States  Attorney Ellen H. Sise is in charge of the prosecution, along with Trial Attorney Leslie Esbrook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, with assistance from Litigation Analyst Rebecca Roth.

The Defendant:

SERGEI ZHARNOVNIKOV
AGE:  47
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-45 (HG)