International Arms Dealer Sentenced to 39 Months’ Imprisonment for Conspiring to Export American-Made Firearms and Ammunition to Russia

Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, Kyrgyz national Sergei Zharnovnikov was sentenced to 39 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to export American-made firearms.  The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Hector Gonzalez.  The defendant illegally exported firearms and ammunition worth over $1.5 million from the United States to Russia, by way of Kyrgyzstan.  Zharnovnikov does not have lawful permanent resident status and faces deportation upon sentencing.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Terence G. Reilly, Acting 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, Office of Export Enforcement, New York Field Office (DOC), announced the sentence.

“The defendant bought American-made, military-grade firearms and ammunition and reexported them to Russia—the same brand of firearms and ammunition known to be used in Russia’s war against Ukraine,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Our sanctions are only as effective as our ability to enforce them. Today’s sentence is a message to would-be violators: breaking this law has serious consequences.”

“Sergei Zharnovnikov circumvented international trade law to illegally provide Russia with American firearms – including semiautomatic rifles – and ammunition worth more than one million dollars,” stated FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Reilly.  “His blatant lies directly fueled Russia’s military siege against Ukraine with American-made weapons.  May today’s sentencing reflect the FBI’s steadfast commitment to preventing enemy nations from exploiting export restrictions to accomplish their malevolent agendas.”

According to court filings, the defendant was an arms dealer who operated through a company that he owned located in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (Kyrgyzstan Company-1).  Since at least March 2020, the defendant, together with others, conspired to export firearms and ammunition controlled by the DOC from the United States to Russia. The defendant exported approximately $1.58 million worth of U.S.-manufactured firearms and ammunition from the United States to Russia.

In one transaction, the defendant 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 reexport of the firearms to Russia. Nevertheless, the defendant reexported U.S. Company‑1 firearms to Russia (via Kyrgyzstan), including semi‑automatic hybrid rifle-pistols., without a license

In another transaction, the defendant reexported five rifles from a second U.S. Company (“U.S. Company-2”) to Russia, via Kyrgyzstan.  Here too, the DOC license prohibited the rifles from being reexported out of Kyrgyzstan.  Notably, U.S. Company-2 rifles have been used by Russian military snipers, including by Russian battalions known to be active in key battles in Ukraine.

Finally, the defendant conspired to illegally reexport U.S.‑manufactured ammunition from Italy to Kyrgyzstan (and eventually Russia), in violation of U.S. law.  The defendant, together with others, placed an order and received 13,000 rounds of ammunition from a third U.S. company (“U.S. Company-3”) worth $23,000 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan by way of Italy.  The license for this ammunition required that the ammunition stay in Italy. Nevertheless, the defendant flouted U.S. law and reexported the U.S. Company-3 ammunition from Italy to Kyrgyzstan. U.S. Company-3 ammunition has reportedly been used in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

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 Defendants:

SERGEI ZHARNOVNIKOV
AGE: 47
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

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