photo by: Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector

A Latvian man was extradited to Kansas and appeared in court at the Robert J. Dole Courthouse in Kansas City, Kansas, Wednesday in connection with a Russian illegal export scheme.

TOPEKA — A Latvian man accused of participating in a scheme to export electronic aircraft equipment from Kansas for Russian companies appeared Wednesday in federal court in Kansas City, Kansas, after being extradited.

A grand jury in March indicted Oleg Chistyakov, or Olegs Čistjakovs, of Latvia, on 26 charges related to six federal crimes. He was arrested March 19 in Latvia and detained there until his recent extradition.

Chistyakov, 55, allegedly conspired with Kansas residents Cyril Buyanovsky, 61, of Lawrence, and Douglas Robertson, 56, of Olathe to export avionics, or aviation electronics, equipment to Russia through Kansas-based KanRus Trading Co. Inc. The company, which was headed by Buyanovsky and Robertson, had offices near the New Century AirCenter southwest of Kansas City and in a house south of Lawrence, according to Kansas Secretary of State business records.

Computer processors, radar sensors, transponders, speed indicators, antennae and equipment installation kits were among the exported items, a complaint filed by special agent Brian Newbury with the FBI’s Kansas City division alleged.

The illegal export venture allegedly began in November 2020 when Chistyakov, operating in Latvia, emailed Robertson a list of avionics equipment KanRus could repair for a Moscow-based company, according to court documents.

The three largely communicated by email and used coded language to conceal their illegal conduct, court documents show.

“Chistyakov allegedly acted as a broker for KanRus by soliciting quotes, negotiating prices and terms of delivery and facilitating payments between KanRus and customers in Russia,” the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release on Wednesday.

Buyanovsky and Robertson bought items from U.S. companies to fulfill orders for Chistyakov, which involved providing fake information to those companies and circumventing U.S. export law, court documents show.

Chistyakov conducted business with KanRus through his United Arab Emirates-based company, RosAero FZC. The shipments would pass through other countries, like Germany and the UAE, and sometimes intermediary companies, before arriving in Russia, court documents show. Payments would come from foreign bank accounts in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and the UAE.

After Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which prompted the U.S. to expand its Russian trade sanctions, the three men continued their scheme, according to court documents. Their efforts continued until March 2023.

Chistyakov is charged with conspiracy, nine counts of smuggling, four counts of money laundering violations and 12 counts related to violations of the Export Control Reform Act, a 2018 law giving presidents the authority to control exports related to national security.

He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million if convicted.

Buyanovsky, former KanRus president and owner, pleaded guilty in December to conspiracy and money laundering. Robertson, KanRus’ former vice president, pleaded guilty in July to conspiracy, money laundering and two counts related to violations of the export act. Both are scheduled to be sentenced later this year.

— Anna Kaminski reports for Kansas Reflector.