Belarusian Yana Leonova extradited to US for export control violations

A 33-year-old Belarusian citizen, Yana Leonova, was extradited from France to the United States, where she is charged with conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act, smuggling, money laundering, and fraud against the United States.

This was announced in a press release by the U.S. Department of Justice, citing information from Ukrinform.

It is noted that Leonova (also known as Lyavonova) previously resided in Russia.

Charges and Case Details

According to the indictment, in May 2022 Leonova together with American partners organized an illegal procurement and export chain of aviation equipment and components to Russia. The value of the goods was destined for private jets operated by her former employer – a company that fell under sanctions by the U.S. Department of Commerce. According to the documents, Leonova and her co-conspirators procured aviation parts from U.S. suppliers and transported them to Russia through intermediary firms registered in Armenia, the Maldives, and other jurisdictions without the required export licenses.

The indictment also notes that Leonova and her co-conspirators repeatedly concealed and falsified information about the ultimate recipients and the intended use of the aviation components, submitting false information in documents. The purchased goods were paid for in U.S. dollars from foreign bank accounts to accounts in the United States.

Timeline of Events and Next Steps

Leonova appeared before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

The investigation involved the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Industry and Security of the U.S. Department of Commerce. According to FBI Deputy Director Roman Rozhavsky, the investigation pointed to Leonova’s involvement in the sale to Russia of sensitive aviation technologies, circumventing export controls.