Anchorage man arrested for conspiring to send luxury goods to Russia

Lina Portman3 weeks ago

0 1 minute read

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Federal authorities arrested two men Tuesday for a scheme the government said involved the export of nearly half a million dollars in snow machines and snow machine parts to Russia, in violation of US sanctions imposed on Russia following the illegal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

According to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Anchorage resident Sergei Nefedov, 40, was arrested Tuesday morning in Anchorage. Her alleged partner, Mark Shumovich, 35, of Bellevue, Washington, was arrested in Washington state the same day. On Tuesday, federal agents could be seen passing by Nefedov's home on a quiet cul-de-sac off Upper De Armoun Road, removing computers and taking photos inside vehicles on the property.

According to the indictment, between March 2022 and May 2023, Nefedov and Shumovich conspired with individuals doing business in Russia and Hong Kong to circumvent restrictions on the export of luxury goods to Russia. It says the two men worked with a Russian national in Hong Kong to ship the items there which were then sent to Russia.

“The clandestine sale of snow machines to Russia violates our export laws, whether the sales are direct or laundered through Hong Kong,” Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Mathew Axelrod said in the release. . “Today’s arrests are just the latest example of our aggressive efforts to enforce export restrictions imposed on Russia following its brutal, full-scale invasion of Ukraine. »

Both men face multiple charges, including conspiracy to illegally export goods from the United States, smuggling and conspiracy to commit international money laundering. Both men face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.