SEATTLE — A 53-year-old Seattle man has been arrested on a 12-count federal indictment accusing him of conspiring to ship restricted mining and other equipment to Russia through companies in Turkey, Korea and Kazakhstan.
Ilya Pankov, also known as Ilia Pankov, pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court in Seattle. His trial is scheduled for Jan. 4, 2027.
The indictment alleges Pankov and others continued shipping goods to Russian companies after U.S. export restrictions were expanded in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Prosecutors say the goods were routed through companies in the three countries to evade export controls.
Pankov was a principal and registered agent of Pacific Route Inc., a Washington-incorporated procurement company that also does business as Pacific Terminals, according to the indictment. It alleges that Pankov and others filed false export information and misrepresented whether shipments required a license.
The indictment identifies four shipments in 2023 and 2024 that prosecutors say were illegally exported. It also alleges Pankov falsely told U.S. Customs and Border Protection that a company in Korea was the end user of two shipments seized over sanctions violations, when he knew they were headed to Russian companies.
At least $225,000 from the sales was allegedly laundered through bank accounts connected to Pacific Route, prosecutors said.
The charges include conspiracy, unlawful exports, smuggling, making false statements and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The charges are allegations, and Pankov is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.