NEW YORK, NY — Sergei Zharnovnikov, 46, a Kyrgyzstan arms dealer, has been charged with conspiring to export semi-automatic firearms from the United States to Russia without proper licenses and smuggling. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York made the announcement on Wednesday, detailing the criminal charges following Zharnovnikov’s arrest.
The Alleged Scheme
Zharnovnikov, the owner of Kyrgyzstan-based Kyrgyzstan Company-1, allegedly conspired to export firearms from a Virginia-based U.S. company to Russia via Kyrgyzstan. Despite having a license from the U.S. Department of Commerce in 2021 to import firearms to Kyrgyzstan, the license explicitly prohibited the re-exportation of firearms to Russia. However, Zharnovnikov is accused of violating these restrictions and rerouting firearms to Moscow-based Russian Company-1.
In July 2022, more than $59,000 worth of firearms were exported under fraudulent pretenses through John F. Kennedy International Airport. Additionally, a second Bishkek-based arms dealer associated with Zharnovnikov, Kyrgyzstan Company-2, entered a $10 million deal with Russian Company-1, further complicating the scheme.
Facing Serious Charges
Zharnovnikov faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted of these charges, which include conspiracy, illegal exportation, and violating national security laws. U.S. Attorney John J. Durham emphasized the significance of this case, warning that such actions jeopardize national security and foreign policy.
The indictment alleges a sophisticated effort to circumvent U.S. export controls, underscoring the importance of strict enforcement on items that could harm national interests. Despite the gravity of the charges, Zharnovnikov is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
