Wisconsin Man Sentenced to Prison for Smuggling Lab Equipment to Russia

A Wisconsin businessman has been sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for illegally exporting laboratory equipment to Russian companies in violation of U.S. trade sanctions imposed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Andrew Pogosyan, 68, a Russian-born U.S. citizen and owner of Omega Diagnostics LLC, pleaded guilty in July to conspiracy to defraud the United States and three counts of smuggling. U.S. District Judge William Conley also fined him $10,000.

According to federal prosecutors, Pogosyan began using his company in late 2022 to ship restricted lab equipment to Russia — including to an entity linked to the Russian military’s chemical research. To evade export restrictions, he allegedly routed the shipments through Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, Latvia and Lithuania before they reached Russia.

The U.S. Department of Commerce tightened export controls in 2022, requiring special licenses for sending sensitive technology to Russia, particularly items that could support chemical or biological weapons development. Pogosyan did not obtain the necessary authorization.

His defense attorney said Pogosyan misunderstood the regulations and that there was no evidence the equipment was used for military purposes.