Attempt to Smuggle Cessnas From U.S. Into Russia Ends in Arrest

Russia-U.S. national faces up to 20 years in prison for attempting to export aircraft to a Russian flight school.

Caleb Revill

Tuesday, December 03, 2024 at 10:36 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Kimberly Johnson

1968 Cessna 172K [iStock]

Key Takeaways:

Sergey Nechaev, a Russian-American dual citizen, was arrested and charged for illegally attempting to export two Cessna aircraft from the U.S. to Russia without a required license.
He allegedly tried to evade U.S. export control laws by transshipping the approximately $170,000 worth of aircraft through Armenia, falsely representing the destination.
Nechaev faces charges including violating the Export Control Reform Act, smuggling, and submitting false information, which could lead to up to 20 years in prison.
The two Cessna aircraft, intended for a Russian flight school, were seized and are subject to forfeiture as property involved in the crime.

See a mistake? Contact us.

A Russian-American dual citizen was arrested Monday and charged with illegally attempting to export two small aircraft from the U.S. to Russia.

According to the Department of Justice, Sergey Nechaev was indicted for attempting to evade U.S. export control laws in March 2023 by trying to sneak two Cessna aircraft from the U.S. to Russia by transshipping them through Armenia. The U.S. government seized the aircraft in conjunction with his arrest in the Southern District of Georgia.