Kansas Businessman Admits Guilt in Illegally Exporting Aviation Tech to Russia

By Madz Dizon

Jul 03, 2024 09:16 PM EDT

Kansas Businessman Admits Guilt in Illegally Exporting Aviation Tech to Russia — A handcuff is used to secure fences to keep demonstrators away from the Brooklyn Center police station on April 12, 2021 in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota.
(Photo : Scott Olson/Getty Images)

A Kansas businessman has admitted to unlawfully exporting sensitive aviation technology to Russian companies, in direct violation of US sanctions.

Kansas Businessman Guilty of Exporting Aviation Technology to Russian Companies

A Kansas City suburb resident, Douglas Edward Robertson, has become the second business executive in Kansas to admit guilt in a case involving smuggling, money laundering, violating US export regulations, providing false information to export regulators, and conspiring to commit crimes against the US, all in pursuit of financial gain.

In March 2023, his arrest, along with the arrest of a Latvian associate, coincided with the US intensifying sanctions and financial penalties on Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Robertson, 56, pleaded before US District Judge Daniel Crabtree in Kansas City on Tuesday, July 2. The judge scheduled the sentencing for October 3rd. Robertson has admitted guilt to four out of the 26 charges brought against him.

If convicted of either money laundering or export violations, he could potentially be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years in prison, according to DefenseNews.

Kansas Business Man's Hidden Transactions

Prosecutors allege that from October 2020, the defendants attempted to sell various electronics, such as threat detection systems and flight, navigation, and communications controls, to multiple Russian aircraft parts distributors, a Russian aircraft repair firm, and a Russian aircraft services company.

They attempted to conceal their illegal activities by using various companies and bank accounts in different countries, such as Armenia, Cyprus, Germany, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and the United Arab Emirates.

The purpose of US export controls was to restrict Russia's ability to obtain computer chips and other necessary products for a modern military. The indictment against Robertson stated that the electronics he and the other two individuals attempted to export could have had a significant impact on the military capabilities of another country, AP News reported.