Rachel C. Hernandez Acting United States Attorney for the District of Arizona | U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona
Oleg Sergeyevhich Patsulya, a Russian citizen residing in Miami-Dade County, Florida, received a 70-month prison sentence for his involvement in a scheme to export controlled aviation technology to Russia. He also conspired to launder money related to the illegal exports. In contrast, his co-conspirator, Vasilii Sergeyevich Besedin, was sentenced to two years in December 2024.
Patsulya pleaded guilty in April 2024 to several charges including conspiracy to export items without a license and international money laundering. U.S. District Court Judge Dominic W. Lanza presided over the sentencing hearings in the District of Arizona. He identified Patsulya as the leader of a sophisticated money laundering scheme which used offshore accounts and shell companies, warranting sentencing enhancements. Addressing the court, Judge Lanza highlighted the gravity of the crimes, citing Patsulya’s leadership role, the betrayal of his U.S. visa privilege, and said, “It’s hard to imagine a bigger betrayal of the United States than what you did.” Patsulya is currently without legal status in the United States.
Court documents reveal that from May 2022, Patsulya and Besedin planned this scheme with others, supplying controlled aircraft parts to Russian airlines through U.S. suppliers, bypassing required Department of Commerce licenses. They successfully negotiated for items including carbon disc brake systems for Boeing 737 aircraft, using false pretenses to claim these would be exported elsewhere. The U.S. intercepted several shipments before they left the country.
Both Patsulya and Besedin admitted to attempts to conceal their actions, including misrepresentations about their customers and using overseas straw companies. On September 8, 2022, they visited Arizona to finalize a purchase under false pretenses that parts were bound for Turkey, while intended for Russia. They secured funds for this from a Russian airline, transferred through a Turkish bank to Patsulya’s U.S. account.
Throughout the conspiracy, at least $4,582,288.51 flowed through American accounts connected to Patsulya’s company, MIC P&I LLC, from Russian airlines via Turkish banks to acquire aircraft components illegally. Patsulya must now forfeit assets, including a luxury car and a boat, for $4,582,288.51 as part of his plea deal.
The announcement was made by officials including Sue Bai of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine, Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division, and Richard Fitzpatrick, Special Agent in Charge of the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security Phoenix Field Office.
Several agencies investigated the case, including the BIS Phoenix Field Office, the FBI Phoenix Field Office, with support from other agencies. The case prosecution was handled by Trial Attorney Christopher M. Rigali and Assistant U.S. Attorney William G. Voit.
