How did the illegal export scheme operate without detection for over two years?

Mazulina exploited her position as western regional manager of Delex Air Cargo to route shipments through intermediary countries, deliberately submitting false export documents that omitted Russia as the final destination. She coordinated with Russian freight forwarding companies and arranged payments through third-party bank accounts to obfuscate the true recipients. The scheme operated from December 2022 through December 2024 until federal authorities uncovered the conspiracy.

What specific violations was Mazulina charged with?

The original 12-count indictment included charges for conspiracy to export controlled goods to Russia without a license, conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to commit money laundering, exporting controlled goods without a license, filing false export documents, and smuggling goods contrary to U.S. law. She ultimately pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act.

What commodities were involved in the illegal exports?

According to prosecutors, the shipments included industrial oil and gas equipment subject to U.S. export controls. The U.S. Attorney's Office emphasized that exports to Russia's oil and gas sector directly support military capabilities, making these particular commodities strategically critical to national security enforcement.

Which airports and companies were implicated?

Delex Air Cargo LLC, based in Jamaica, New York, operated out of John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Washington. Mazulina served as the western regional manager responsible for operations at these major U.S. air cargo hubs.

What should freight forwarding companies do to prevent similar violations?

Companies should enhance due diligence on high-risk trade lanes, independently verify end-use certifications rather than relying solely on shipper claims, implement audit trails for documentation changes, and establish monitoring systems to detect unusual routing patterns or payment structures through third-party countries. Internal compliance training and a culture of reporting suspicious activity are critical defenses.

Trade Policy & Tariffs

High Impact

Freight Manager Sentenced for Illegal Russia Exports via Third Countries

Jun 27, 2026

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A former regional manager at Delex Air Cargo LLC has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for orchestrating an illegal scheme to export controlled oil and gas equipment to Russia through intermediary countries between December 2022 and December 2024. S. authorities that concealed the equipment's ultimate Russian destination, while working with sanctioned Russian freight forwarding companies to route shipments through third-party nations. This case underscores a critical vulnerability in international freight forwarding operations: sophisticated actors within logistics companies can exploit their trusted positions to circumvent export control systems, particularly when handling commodity-based shipments destined for sanctioned regimes.

S. hubs like JFK and Seattle-Tacoma. The fact that internal communications referenced clients being "sanctioned with USA" demonstrates how deliberate evasion operated within company operations for over two years before detection. The prosecution involved interagency coordination through the Justice Department's Task Force KleptoCapture, indicating that government enforcement is intensifying and targeting individual operators within logistics firms—not just external smugglers.

The operational implications are significant: freight forwarding companies must implement enhanced due diligence on high-risk routes, verify end-use certifications independently, and establish internal compliance monitoring to detect anomalies in routing patterns or documentation. The $77,000 forfeiture and criminal conspiracy charge set precedent for holding individual managers personally liable, effectively raising the stakes for compliance culture across the industry.

#export-controls

#sanctions-compliance

#russia-sanctions

#freight-forwarding-fraud

#supply-chain-compliance

#illegal-exports

#national-security

#trade-enforcement

Frequently Asked Questions

What This Means for Your Supply Chain

Simulation Suggestion

immediate

What if your freight forwarding partner is investigated for export compliance violations?

Model the impact of losing access to a primary freight forwarder due to regulatory investigation or sanctions. Simulate sourcing alternative carriers, renegotiating rates, potential service level degradation, and increased lead times while new partners are onboarded and vetted.

Run this scenario

Simulation Suggestion

this month

What if enhanced export control audits cause 3-week delays at major U.S. air cargo hubs?

Assume heightened compliance screening and documentation verification at JFK and Seattle-Tacoma increases average processing time by 21 days for controlled commodities and high-risk routes. Model the impact on transit times, warehouse dwell, and customer service levels for oil/gas equipment exports.

Run this scenario

Simulation Suggestion

strategic

What if compliance violations result in mandatory third-party audit costs for all vendors?

Assume regulatory response leads to mandatory independent compliance audits for all freight forwarding and export logistics partners, adding 2-5% to service costs. Model cost inflation across high-risk trade lanes and evaluate whether to absorb costs or pass through to customers.

Run this scenario

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