A Russian-German national was arrested and charged with illegally obtaining and exporting large quantities of sensitive US-sourced microelectronics to Russia, according to a news release from the US Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York Thursday.
Arthur Petrov, 33, was arrested in the Republic of Cyprus on Saturday at the request of the United States, the release said. He is a dual Russian-German citizen.
Allegations in a complaint — unsealed in a Manhattan federal court Thursday — said Petrov resided in Russia and Cyprus and worked for a Russian-based supplier of “critical electronics components for the manufacturers supplying weaponry and other equipment to the Russian military,” the release said.
Petrov was alleged to have been working with two Russian co-conspirators. He initially acquired the microelectronics and sent them through Cyprus but never told the US distributors their true destination was Russia, according to the complaint.
“Petrov and his co-conspirators knowingly misrepresented their business activities to evade export controls in order to procure and transship components associated with Russian guided missiles, drones, and electronic warfare devices,” said James Smith, FBI assistant director in charge.
The destination of the microelectronics was a Russian company that has been supplying the Russian military since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Smith said some types of microelectronics were recovered in Russian military equipment on the battlefield of Ukraine.
Petrov has been charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, violating the Export Control Reform Act, smuggling goods from the US, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering — some on multiple counts — which could carry decades of prison time.
CNN was unable to immediately identify a lawyer for Petrov.
