Ohio-based aircraft equipment supplier Flighttime Enterprises Inc. and three current and former employees face federal charges for illegally exporting aircraft parts to Russia and Russian airlines without the required Department of Commerce licenses.

According to a U.S. Department of Justice Feb. 13 release, the three individuals charged from Flighttime Enterprises — a U.S. subsidiary to a Russia-based distributor — are naturalized U.S. citizen Daniel Friery, Russian citizen Pavil Iglin and legal permanent U.S. resident Marat Aysin.

Flighttime has U.S. office locations near West Chester, OH and Miami, FL. Its LinkedIn page says the company’s primary activities and focus is the implementation of comprehensive programs to supply aircraft engines, APUs, landing gear, wheels and brakes, spare parts and organization of service maintenance and repairs of components and assemblies for aircraft operators. It also provides support and assistance with logistics and storage services.

MDM’s SHIFT Conference Coming May 13-15 – Register Here 

As alleged in the 11-count indictment, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Flighttime Enterprises and the defendants knowingly violated export restrictions by shipping aviation parts to Russia and Russian end users, including airlines under Department of Commerce Temporary Denial Orders. They circumvented these restrictions by mislabeling shipments, providing false certifications and using intermediary companies and countries to conceal the true end destinations and users.

The indictment references four export transactions totaling over $2 million. One example involves the alleged purchase of an auxiliary power unit for $395,000 from a U.S. supplier in June 2022. Despite the supplier’s initial concerns about ties to Russia, Aysin falsely said the part would replenish stock in West Chester. Iglin proceeded to sign a Russian end-user certificate, falsely certifying that the part would not go to Russia. The part was ultimately illegally shipped to Russia for a Russian aviation company without the necessary license.

Flighttime’s U.S. website is now defunct.

MDM’s Virtual AI Summit Set for March 12 – Register Here 

The company and three defendants face one count of conspiring to violate the Control Reform Act (EXRA), along with several counts of ECRA violations, all of which are federal offenses carrying potential sentences of up to 20 years in prison, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The trio of defendants are also charged with conspiracy to commit smuggling — a crime punishable by up to five years in prison— along with multiple counts of smuggling, each carrying a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Additionally, each defendant is charged with one count of conspiring to launder monetary instruments, a federal offense punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

The FBI and BIS are currently investigating the case.