Oleg Nikitin, owner of KS Engineering, was arrested in the United States for trying to deliver energy equipment to Russia bypassing sanctions, the US Department of Justice reports. The case also includes an employee of the company Anton Cheremukhin. They face up to 20 years in prison.

According to investigators, Nikitin's KS Engineering tried to purchase a turbine for a Vectra 40G gas generator for $ 17.3 million. US authorities believe the customer was an “unnamed Russian state-owned company” that wanted to use the turbine for deep-sea drilling in the Arctic.

In addition to the Russians, two Italians, a US citizen and related companies are accused of trying to circumvent sanctions.

The investigation suggests that Nikitin and Cheremukhin agreed to purchase a turbine with Italians, who were supposed to purchase equipment supposedly for the Italian company Villone GVA International Oil and Gas Services (GVA).

The Italians bought a turbine from the American company World Mining and Oil Supply (WMO). Parties forged documents to hide the final recipient of the turbine from US authorities.

Nikitin, Cheremukhin and Italians face imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of one million dollars for violation of the sanctions regime. They can also be sentenced to five years in prison and fined another 250 thousand dollars for participating in a conspiracy to circumvent sanctions.