Anchorage man arrested for conspiring to send luxury goods to Russia

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Federal authorities arrested two men Tuesday for a scheme the government says involved exporting nearly half a million dollars of snow machines and snow machine parts to Russia in violation of U.S. sanctions that were placed on Russia following the illegal invasion of Ukraine in February of 2022.

According to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s office, 40-year-old Anchorage resident Sergey Nefedov was arrested in Anchorage Tuesday morning. His alleged partner, 35-year-old Mark Shumovich of Bellevue, WA, was arrested in Washington state on the same day. On Tuesday, federal agents could be seen going through Nefedov’s home in a quiet cul-de-sac off Upper De Armoun Road removing computers and taking photos inside vehicles on the property.

According to the indictment, between March of 2022 and May of 2023, Nefedov and Shumovich conspired with individuals doing business in Russia and Hong Kong to evade the restrictions imposed on exporting luxury goods to Russia. It says the pair worked with a Russian national in Hong Kong to ship the items there which were then sent on to Russia.

“Covertly selling snowmachines to Russia violates our export laws, regardless of whether the sales are direct or laundered through Hong Kong,“ said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Mathew Axelrod in the release. “Today’s arrests are just the latest example of our aggressive efforts to enforce the export restrictions imposed on Russia following its brutal full-scale invasion of Ukraine.”

Both men face multiple charges including conspiracy to unlawfully export goods from the U.S., smuggling and conspiracy to commit international money laundering. According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, both men face a maximum of 20 years in prison.