Sanjay Kaushik was arrested in Miami on October 17 after he landed from India on an official travel, under a criminal complaint, and was indicted on November 20 in the District of Oregon.
Kaushik is the Managing Partner of New Delhi-based air charter services provider Arezo Aviation, PTI reported.
As per the official website of the company, it is based in Maharam Nagar in Delhi Cantt. The aviation services firm is involved in air charters, and air ambulances, besides the distribution of aircraft spare parts, lubricants and various pilot supplies for commercial, general, and corporate aviation, the news agency said.
At present, Kaushik is detained in an Oregon jail and has not sought release.
Citing him as a flight risk, US Magistrate Judge Stacie F Beckerman on Friday, November 22, ordered that he remain in custody. Kaushik, if convicted, could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison as well as up to $1 million fine per count under the indictment.
The federal prosecutors informed the court that Kaushik was part of an illicit procurement network that unlawfully obtained aviation goods and technology from the US for Russian entities.
They claimed he used to work with his Austria-based associate Markus Kaltenegger along with others to obtain US-origin aviation goods for the end-users in Russia.
Further, they have alleged that evidence shows he conspired with Kaltenegger and others in facilitating the purchase, shipping, and negotiation of aviation goods from the US that were being re-exported to clients in Russia.
They used to split the profit of these illicit sales, violating the Export Control Reform Act and smuggling statutes.
As per the court filings, Kaushik is believed to have exported aircraft parts, components, and technology from the US to the end users in Russia without the required license or authorisation from the Department of Commerce in the US for such exports and re-exports.
