Estonian National Charged in U.S. for Acquiring Electronics and Metasploit Pro for Russian Military

Apr 10, 2023Ravie LakshmananHacking Tool / Cyber Threat

An Estonian national has been charged^[1]
in the U.S. for purchasing U.S.-made electronics on behalf of the
Russian government and military.

The 45-year-old individual, Andrey Shevlyakov, was arrested on
March 28, 2023, in Tallinn. He has been indicted with 18 counts of
conspiracy and other charges. If found guilty, he faces up to 20
years in prison.

Court documents allege that Shevlyakov operated front companies
that were used to import sensitive electronics from U.S.
manufacturers. The goods were then shipped to Russia, bypassing
export restrictions.

The purchased items included analog-to-digital converters and
low-noise pre-scalers and synthesizers that are found in defense
systems. Shevlyakov is also accused of attempting to acquire
hacking tools like Rapid7 Metasploit Pro, a legitimate penetration
testing and adversary simulation software.

Although Shevlyakov was placed in Entity List in 2012 by the
U.S. government for acting as a procurement agent for Russia, he is
said to have used “false names and a web of front companies” to
sidestep the regulations and run an “intricate logistics operation
involving frequent smuggling trips across the Russian border.”

Shevlyakov is estimated to have exported at least $800,000 worth
of items from U.S. electronics manufacturers and distributors
between about October 2012 and January 2022 through his shell
companies like Yaxart, Anmarna, and Marnik.

“As alleged, for more than a decade, the defendant has been
acquiring sensitive electronics from U.S. manufacturers on behalf
of the Russian government, in defiance of U.S. export controls,”
U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said.