MOSCOW- A Florida resident and Russian national, Alexander Mamonov, 62, has been convicted on all 12 charges tied to an alleged scheme to illegally export nearly $1 million in U.S. aircraft parts to Russia and PJSC Aeroflot (SU).
The case involved aircraft parts allegedly routed through false destinations, including the United Arab Emirates and China, to evade U.S. export controls. Mamonov was convicted in the Southern District of Florida, while co-defendant Ignat Vakorin remains a fugitive.
Florida Man Convicted in Aeroflot Aircraft Parts Export Scheme
A federal jury convicted Mamonov on 12 counts connected to an export scheme involving more than $900,000 worth of aircraft parts. Prosecutors said the parts were acquired from U.S. suppliers and ultimately shipped to Russia and state-owned Russian airline PJSC Aeroflot (SU).
Mamonov, a former Aeroflot employee who later relocated from Russia to South Florida, allegedly worked with Vakorin to conceal the true destination of the aircraft components.
The case was brought in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Judge Kathleen M. Williams scheduled Mamonov’s sentencing for November 20.
Charges Covered Export Controls and Smuggling
Mamonov was convicted of multiple offenses involving U.S. export restrictions and financial transactions. The 12-count conviction included:
- Conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act
- Illegal export of items subject to the ECRA
- Conspiracy to commit smuggling
- Smuggling of goods
- Submitting false or misleading export information
- Conspiracy to commit money laundering
The charges stem from conduct that prosecutors said was designed to move U.S.-origin aviation parts into Russia despite restrictions imposed after Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Aircraft Parts Were Routed Through False Destinations
According to court documents and testimony cited by the U.S. Department of Justice, Mamonov and Vakorin misled American suppliers about where the aircraft parts would ultimately go.
The pair allegedly identified countries such as the United Arab Emirates and China as destinations rather than disclosing that the parts were intended for Russia and Aeroflot.
The alleged use of alternative destinations formed a central part of the government’s case. Prosecutors said the arrangement was designed to conceal the final recipients from U.S. suppliers and authorities.
The government alleged that more than $900,000 in aviation parts were ultimately shipped as part of the scheme.
U.S. Restrictions Targeted Aeroflot
The alleged conduct occurred against the backdrop of expanded U.S. export restrictions on Russia following the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The U.S. Department of Commerce increased restrictions on exports to Russia and issued a temporary denial order preventing Aeroflot from receiving U.S.-origin goods.
Those restrictions increased the legal risks associated with obtaining American aircraft components for Russian aviation operators.
The conviction therefore involves not only the movement of aviation parts but also alleged efforts to circumvent restrictions specifically imposed on Russia and Aeroflot.
Federal Agencies Investigated the Case
The FBI Miami Field Office led the investigation with assistance from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean P. Cronin of the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Brett Ruff of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
Federal officials emphasized that the conviction demonstrates continued enforcement of U.S. export-control and sanctions laws.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said the verdict reflects the government’s commitment to prosecuting violations of export controls and protecting U.S.-controlled items from unlawful export.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida said the case demonstrates that routing purchases through South Florida or using false shipping destinations does not remove U.S. export-law obligations.
Co-Defendant Remains a Fugitive
Mamonov was indicted in April 2025 alongside Ignat Vakorin, a Russian national. Vakorin remains at large and is listed as a fugitive.
The indictment linked both defendants to the alleged effort to obtain aircraft parts in the United States and move them to Russia while concealing their intended destination.
Mamonov’s conviction now places the case against him at the sentencing stage, while Vakorin remains wanted.
Sentencing Scheduled for November
Judge Kathleen M. Williams scheduled Mamonov’s sentencing for November 20 in the Southern District of Florida.
The conviction followed a federal jury trial and covered all 12 counts brought against Mamonov.
Court records for the case are available through the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida and PACER under case number 25-cr-20174.
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