New Jersey man pleads guilty in smuggling scheme intended to aid Russia’s war effort
Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — A New Jersey man who was among seven people charged with smuggling electronic components to aid Russia’s war effort has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and other charges. Prosecutors say Vadim Yermolenko faces up to 30 years in prison for his role in a transnational procurement and money laundering network that sought to acquire sensitive electronics for Russian military and intelligence services. Yermolenko lives in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. He has dual U.S. and Russian citizenship. He was indicted along with six other people in December 2022. A message seeking comment was sent to Yermolenko’s attorney with the federal public defender’s office on Friday.