Israeli freight forwarder admits guilt in smuggling aircraft to Russia

An Israeli freight forwarder, Gal Haimovich, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges for violating export restrictions imposed on Russia, according to the US Department of Justice.

Haimovich, 49, admitted to orchestrating a scheme to illegally transport aircraft parts and avionics from US manufacturers and suppliers to Russia, benefiting sanctioned Russian airlines.

Court documents reveal that Haimovich, who owned an international freight forwarding company, operated across various countries, including the US and Israel. Between March 2022 and May 2023, he facilitated the export of aircraft components, including items with missile technology applications, to Russian clients through third-party shippers.

The operation involved misleading US manufacturers and suppliers about the true destination of the goods. Notably, Haimovich arranged for an air data module to be sent to Russia for Siberia Airlines (S7 Airlines) in August 2022, falsely claiming it was intended for the Maldives.

Haimovich is scheduled to be sentenced on November 22. Assistant US Attorney Christopher Browne of the Southern District of Florida, handling the case, emphasized, "This case demonstrates our commitment to enforcing export control laws and preventing the illegal flow of sensitive technologies to Russia."

* Israel Hayom contributed to this article.