News Releases and Statements

According to the plea agreement, Amin Yu, 55, of Orlando, from at least 2002 to February 2014, at the direction of co-conspirators working for Harbin Engineering University (HEU, a People’s Republic of China (PRC)-controlled entity) PRC, obtained systems and components for marine submersible vehicles from companies in the U.S.

Syed Vaqar Ashraf, 71, of Lahore, Pakistan, previously pleaded guilty to attempting to procure multiple models of gyroscopes from a U.S. company and illegally ship them to Pakistan so they could be used by the Pakistani military. The devices have a variety of applications, including use in unmanned aircraft and missile delivery systems.

Charles Shearon, 60, of Goodlettsville, Elmer Hill, 69, of Brentwood, Michael Curlett, 49, of Wixom, Michigan, and Arnold See, Jr., 59, of Murfreesboro were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Todd J. Campbell. Sentences ranged from 13 to 18 months. 

Wenxia Man, aka Wency Man, 45, of San Diego, was convicted June 9 by a federal jury on one count of conspiring to export and cause the export of defense articles without the required license.

Alexander Brazhnikov Jr., 37, a naturalized United States citizen born in Moscow, previously pleaded guilty to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, one count of conspiracy to smuggle electronics from the United States, and one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Brazhnikov also agreed to the entry of a forfeiture money judgment against him in the amount of $65 million.

On June 16, 2015, Kan Chen, 26, of Ningbo, China, in Zhejiang Province, was arrested by HSI special agents on the Northern Mariana Island of Saipan following an eight-month investigation into his illegal conduct and has remained in custody.

Ahmad Feras Diri, age 42, of London, United Kingdom, was charged November 2012. The indictment charged three individuals and one company with criminal conspiracy, wire fraud, illegal export of goods, money laundering, and false statements.

William Ali, 37, who resides in New Zealand, is accused of conspiring with an individual in China to obtain specialized accelerometers, which are used in missile and spacecraft navigation systems, along with other sensitive defense parts. Yue Wu, 42, was repatriated May 4 on board commercial aircraft escorted by Seattle-based ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations deportation officers. 

Marlou Mendoza, 60, and Mark Louie Mendoza, 30, are named in separate indictments returned by a federal grand jury Dec. 10.

London resident Ahmad Feras Diri, 42, recently lost his extradition fight in the U.K. He turned himself over to HSI and Department of Commerce special agents Thursday morning and pleaded not guilty at his initial appearance today in the Middle District of Pennsylvania federal court in Scranton.