Almost since the start of the war in Ukraine, Russia has been under sanctions that make getting the microelectronics and chips necessary for drone production almost impossible. Impossible at least by conventional means. That's led to unscrupulous characters like Denis Postovoy who's lived in Sarasota for years willing to take a chance on smuggling the goods to Russia for the insane profits. According to the Department of Justice's press release, he's been doing this since at least February 2022, and now faces 44 separate charges of smuggling, money laundering, and defrauding the U.S. If convicted, he'd spend the rest of his life in prison. According to a Russian news source, Postovoy will be transferred and held in Washington DC.

Source: WWSB

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - A Russian citizen living in Sarasota was arrested Monday on an indictment charging him with smuggling, money laundering and defrauding the U.S.

According to court documents, Denis Postovoy, 44, was involved in exporting microelectronics that can be used in drones or other aerial devices that can be used by the military. Officials say Postovoy engaged in this activity following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine through several companies.

Postovoy’s companies included WowCube HK Limited, JST Group Hong Kong, Jove HK Limited, all based in Hong Kong, and the Vector Group in Russia. Fields offices in both Colorado and Washington D.C. began investigating the suspicious shipments.

The indictment states that Postovoy repeatedly concealed and misstated the true end users and end destinations of the microelectronics by submitting false information on documents. He transshipped items that were ultimately destined for Russia through intermediary destinations, including Hong Kong, Switzerland, and elsewhere, and received payments in U.S. dollars from foreign bank accounts.

His companies transferred funds for the purchase and shipment of the goods through bank accounts in Hong Kong, Russia, and elsewhere to bank accounts in the United States, including bank accounts maintained by the U.S. suppliers of microelectronics and other sensitive technologies.

Authorities caught him Monday and charged him with conspiring to violate the Export Control Reform Act, to commit smuggling, to commit money laundering, and to defraud the United States.