“From Delhi to Moscow: Illicit Aviation Parts Scheme Lands Businessman in U.S. Prison”

Sanjay Kaushik, a 58-year-old Indian businessman (based in New Delhi), received 30 months in a U.S. federal prison for a scheme to illegally export restricted U.S. aviation components to Russia. [indiawest.com], [infra.econ…atimes.com]

What He Did

Between September 2023 and 2024, Kaushik worked with co-conspirators to purchase sensitive aerospace components—notably an Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS).
This device is used for aircraft navigation and flight control and is subject to strict U.S. export controls, especially those related to Russia. [indiawest.com], [hindustantimes.com]

To bypass these controls, he and his associates:

• Falsely claimed that the aviation parts were being purchased for his Indian company,
• Asserted the items would be installed in civilian helicopters,
• And misrepresented the Indian company as the end user, when in reality the parts were intended for Russian end‑users, including entities under sanctions. [infra.econ…atimes.com], [news18.com]

U.S. authorities say India was being used as a transhipment point to conceal Russia as the real destination. [moneycontrol.com]

The AHRS shipment was detained before leaving the U.S., preventing final delivery. [infra.econ…atimes.com]

Arrest and Prosecution

Kaushik was arrested in Miami in October 2024 after a federal complaint was issued.
In October 2025, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate U.S. export control laws. [hindustantimes.com]

A federal court in Portland, Oregon, then sentenced him to:

• 30 months in prison
• 36 months of supervised release [thehindu.com]

Why This Case Matters

U.S. prosecutors described the scheme as:

• “Calculated” and “profit-driven”,
• Not a one-off mistake, but repeated attempts to undermine U.S. national security and foreign‑policy safeguards,
• Conducted in coordination with sanctioned Russian entities. [news18.com]

The case was also part of the U.S. Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, which targets sanctions‑evasion networks supporting Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. [moneycontrol.com]

Web Sources  

1. IndiaWest = Title: Delhi Man Goes To US Prison For Exporting Aviation Parts To Russia
   URL: https://indiawest.com/delhi-man-goes-to-us-prison-for-exporting-aviation-parts-to-russia/
   2. Economic Times Infra=Title: Indian man gets 30-month jail in US for illegal export of aviation parts to Russia
   URL: https://infra.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/aviation/indian-man-gets-30-month-jail-in-us-for-illegal-export-of-aviation-parts-to-russia/126640213
   3. Hindustan Times=Title: Who is Sanjay Kaushik, Indian businessman jailed for 30 months in US for illegal export of aviation gear to Russia?
   URL: https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/who-is-sanjay-kaushik-indian-businessman-jailed-for-30-months-in-us-for-illegal-export-of-aviation-gear-to-russia-101768768154302.html
   4. The Hindu = Title: Indian man gets 30-month jail in U.S. for illegal export of aviation parts to Russia
   URL: https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/indian-man-gets-30-month-jail-in-us-for-illegal-export-of-aviation-parts-to-russia/article70517712.ece
   5. Moneycontrol=Title: Indian jailed in US for plot to export restricted aviation technology to Russia
   URL: https://www.moneycontrol.com/world/indian-jailed-in-us-for-plot-to-export-restricted-aviation-technology-to-russia-article-13777265.html
   6. MSN=Title: Indian businessman jailed in US for illegal export of aviation parts to Russia
   URL: https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/world/indian-businessman-jailed-in-us-for-illegal-export-of-aviation-parts-to-russia/ar-AA1UodYI
   7. News18=Title: ‘Dual-Use’ Deception: US Jails Indian Businessman For Illegal Export Of Aviation Gear To Russia
   URL: https://www.news18.com/world/dual-use-deception-us-jails-indian-businessman-for-illegal-export-of-aviation-gear-to-russia-9838979.html