A Delhi-based businessman, Sanjay Kaushik, aged 58, has been sentenced to 30 months in a US federal prison for conspiring to illegally export controlled aviation components from Oregon to Russia. This action violated American export control laws, as per the Justice Department. Kaushik was involved in a scheme to ship sensitive aviation technology to Russian end users without the necessary US government approvals, according to court records.
The US Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon, the Justice Department’s National Security Division, and the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security jointly announced the sentence. US officials highlighted that the case involved intentional efforts to evade export controls that safeguard national security.
Federal prosecutors revealed that starting in early September 2023, Kaushik conspired to unlawfully acquire aerospace goods and technology for entities in Russia. The items were falsely claimed to be intended for Kaushik and his India-based company but were actually meant for Russian customers, as alleged.
In a specific instance noted by authorities, Kaushik and his co-conspirators purchased an Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS) from an Oregon supplier. The AHRS, which provides navigation and flight control data for aircraft, is subject to stringent US export controls. Despite falsely stating that his Indian company was the final user and that the system would be used in a civilian helicopter, the actual plan was to route the component through India to a customer in Russia. However, the AHRS was intercepted before leaving the United States.
Kaushik was arrested in Miami, Florida, on October 17, 2024, after a criminal complaint was filed and an arrest warrant issued. He has been in custody since his arrest. On October 9, 2025, Kaushik pleaded guilty to one count of the indictment, acknowledging his involvement in conspiring to sell export-controlled aviation components with civilian and military applications to Russian end users.
