Virginia company charged with exporting US technology to Russia

FAIRFAX, Va. — A Virginia-based company and two of its executives have been charged with conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act, according to a recently unsealed complaint. Oleg Nayandin, 54, of Fairfax, and Vitaliy Borisenko, 39, of Vienna, appeared in court on Monday.

The complaint states that between March 2022 and June 2023, Eleview International Inc., a freight consolidation and forwarding business, was run by Nayandin, who is the owner, president, and CEO, along with Borisenko, who managed daily operations. They allegedly conspired to export goods and technology illegally from the U.S. to Russia by routing shipments through three neighboring countries.

The defendants reportedly operated an e-commerce website where Russian customers could order U.S. products directly from American retailers. These retailers shipped the items to Eleview’s warehouse in Chantilly, Virginia. The defendants then allegedly combined these packages and shipped them to Russian customers, often using other freight forwarders for a fee.

After the Department of Commerce tightened export controls in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the defendants reportedly began sending items to fake end users in Turkey, Finland, and Kazakhstan, knowing that the items would ultimately reach customers in Russia. To facilitate these illegal exports, they allegedly made numerous false statements to the Department of Commerce and other freight forwarders about the true recipients of the shipments.

The complaint outlines three specific schemes to evade export controls in different countries. In the Turkey scheme, the defendants allegedly exported around $1.48 million worth of telecommunications equipment to a false end user in Turkey, fully aware that it was intended for a Russian telecommunications company linked to the Russian government, including the Federal Security Service (FSB). The equipment had military applications, including its use in enhancing communication networks for Russia's war efforts against Ukraine.

In the Finland scheme, the defendants allegedly exported approximately $3.45 million worth of goods bought through Eleview’s website to a fictitious end user in Finland, who did not actually buy or sell any goods. They reportedly labeled each package with a Russian postal service tracking number to facilitate delivery to customers in Russia. This scheme involved "high priority" items identified by the Department of Commerce as critical to Russian weaponry, including components found in Russian drones used to target Ukrainian military assets.

In the Kazakhstan scheme, the defendants allegedly exported about $1.47 million worth of goods to Russia through an entity in Kazakhstan that claims to deliver goods to Russia. These goods included controlled dual-use items.

“This company allegedly used three different schemes to illegally send sensitive American technology to Russia,” said Matthew S. Axelrod, Assistant Secretary for the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security. “Today’s charges against the company and its executives exemplify our commitment to holding accountable those who break our rules for profit.”

If convicted, Nayandin and Borisenko face up to 20 years in prison. A federal judge will determine their sentences based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.