A Canadian woman pleaded guilty in a Brooklyn federal court for her role in a multi-million dollar scheme that smuggled sensitive U.S. technology to Russia, violating export controls and sanctions in place due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Kristina Puzyreva, 32, of Montreal, admitted to laundering money to fuel the operation that illegally sourced and shipped millions of dollars worth of American-made electronics to sanctioned entities in Russia. These components, later found in Russian weapons and intelligence equipment used in Ukraine, were crucial to their military operations.

“The defendant in this case flouted our sanctions and export control laws by scheming to send sensitive U.S.-sourced missile and other weapons components to Russia that were later found in Russian weapons systems on the battlefield in Ukraine,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “She now faces time in a United States prison for her actions. As we approach the two-year anniversary of Russia’s unlawful invasion of Ukraine, through our Disruptive Technology Strike Force and our Task Force KleptoCapture, the Justice Department will continue using all available legal tools and authorities to hold accountable those who supply the Russian war machine with critical U.S. technology.”

“Ms. Puzyreva admitted to taking part in an elaborate scheme to smuggle millions of dollars’ worth of restricted U.S. components for use in Russian weapons deployed against Ukraine,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department is committed to denying Moscow the resources it needs to prosecute its unjust invasion of Ukraine, and we will hold accountable covert enablers and profiteers who violate U.S. law to further Russian aggression.”

The scheme involved two Brooklyn-based front companies, SH Brothers and SN Electronics, used by Puzyreva and her accomplices to purchase and ship the restricted electronics. These components, including integrated circuits, were later discovered in seized Russian drones, guided missiles, and other weapons deployed against Ukraine.

Puzyreva faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Authorities have already seized over $1.68 million linked to the illegal activity.

The investigation was conducted by a joint effort involving the FBI, the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement, and the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations. The prosecution is being handled by the Eastern District of New York with further support from the Department of Justice’s Disruptive Technology Strike Force and Task Force KleptoCapture.