Wisconsin Man Sentenced for Smuggling Lab Equipment to Russia

Andrew Pogosyan, a Wisconsin man, is sentenced to a year in federal prison for smuggling lab equipment to Russia, violating trade sanctions. His company, Omega Diagnostics LLC, shipped equipment without required licenses, potentially aiding Russian military research. Despite facing up to 35 years, Pogosyan receives a lenient sentence.

Andrew Pogosyan, a 68-year-old Wisconsin resident, will serve a year in federal prison for smuggling lab equipment to Russia, thus violating trade sanctions. US District Judge William Conley handed down the sentence, which includes a USD 10,000 fine, highlighting the severity of bypassing international trade laws.

Pogosyan, a Russian-born US citizen, orchestrated these shipments through his company, Omega Diagnostics LLC, starting in September 2022. He evaded the sanctions, put in place by the US Department of Commerce in February 2022 after Russia's Ukraine invasion, by using third-party countries to reroute the equipment to Russian companies engaged in military research.

Pogosyan pleaded guilty to conspiracy and smuggling charges, acknowledging his failure to obtain necessary licenses. Although facing a potential 35-year sentence, he received a lighter penalty. His attorney, William Coffield, noted that Pogosyan misunderstood the implications of his actions, with no evidence suggesting the equipment's use in weapons production.

(With inputs from agencies.)