Third Defendant Comes Forward in Several-Year Conspiracy

55-year-old Oleg Chistyakov was recently extradited from Latvia to Kansas City to face federal charges. He played a major role in an avionics smuggling operation, circumventing U.S. export laws to supply Russian customers.

Chistyakov had two co-conspirators: Cyril Gregory Buyanovsky, aged 61, of and Douglas Edward Robertson, aged 56. These two men were both U.S. citizens and Kansas residents.

Following the recent conflict, the trio had to use multiple fronts to facilitate the sale, repair, and shipping of advanced U.S. avionics equipment to Russia. Chistyakov operated behind the scenes in Latvia and through RosAero FZC, his Emirati cover. Buyanovsky and Robertson operated purely in the U.S. behind KanRus Trading Company.

They would purchase aircraft technology in the U.S., using KanRus to act as sales brokers with Russian customers. Then, they created fake invoices, accepted payment in third-party bank accounts, and shipped the items through Germany or the UAE. Intermediary companies would pick up the package and re-export it to Russia.

All three of the men have been apprehended. Buyanovsky and Robertson were caught in early 2023 after a raid at the New Century Airport in Johnson County, Kansas. They were both arrested and pleaded guilty to the charges. They will be sentenced later this year, and their partner will face the same fate shortly after. 

Chistyakov was extradited to Kansas in mid-August on charges of conspiracy, Export Control Reform Act violations, smuggling, and money laundering. If and when he is convicted, he will be subject to a maximum of 20 years in prison and up to a $1 million fine. This will be determined by a federal district court judge.

The FBI and the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security are still investigating the case.

FMI:www.justice.gov