Man charged for allegedly conspiring to export plane parts from Oregon to Russia

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A man is facing federal charges for allegedly trying to export aerospace gear from Oregon to Russia, the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon announced.

Fifty-seven-year-old Sanjay Kaushik of Delhi, India, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Portland on Nov. 20 on several charges including conspiring and attempting to export controlled aviation components and a navigation and flight control system from Oregon to Russia through India, which violates the Export Control Reform Act, authorities said. Kaushik is also charged with making false statements in connection with an export.

The incident began in September 2023, when Kaushik allegedly conspired with others to illegally obtain aerospace technology from the United States for “entities in Russia,” authorities said.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said the aerospace parts were purchased under the false pretense that they would be supplied to Kaushik for his company in India, when they were actually destined for Russia.

In one instance, Kaushik and his co-conspirators bought an Attitude and Heading Reference System – a device that provides navigation and flight control data for aircraft – from an Oregon-based supplier.

Those components require a license from the Department of Commerce in order to be exported to certain countries, including Russia, officials explained.

To get the export license, Kaushik and his co-conspirators falsely claimed his company was the end purchaser and that the component would be used in a civilian helicopter.

After obtaining the AHRS component, the device was ultimately detained before it was exported from the United States, authorities said.

Kaushik was arrested in Miami, Florida Oct. 17, 2024, on a criminal complaint and arrest warrant issued by the United States District Court for the District of Oregon.

Kaushik made his first federal court appearance in Oregon Nov. 22 where he pleaded not guilty. He was ordered detained pending a seven-day jury trial scheduled to begin Jan. 21, 2025.

If convicted, Kaushik faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million for each count in the indictment.