California man, former military member pleads guilty to unlawfully exporting war tools to Russia

A former Corona resident pleaded guilty Friday, March 24 to conspiring to unlawfully export defense articles to Russia without a license, violating the Arms Export Control Act.

Former Corona resident Igor Panchernikov, 41, who served in the United States Air Force Reserves, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Arms Export Control Act.

Panchernikov, who has dual Israeli and Ukranian citizenship and is a lawful resident of the United States, has been in federal custody since 2022 after he was extradited to the United States from Israel.

Panchernikov’s plea agreement stated that from between 2016 and 2018, he was part of a group that was knowingly exporting items such as imaging rifle scopes and night vision goggles from the United States to Russia without obtaining the appropriate license or approval from the federal government.

His accomplices purchased the items from American sellers and mailed them to Panchernikov’s residence in Corona, where he received at least 19 items.

Once the items were found to be in good condition, they were mailed to another person, who would then ship the items to Russia under false names and disguised packages.

Shifrin pleaded guilty in 2022 to one count of conspiracy to violate the Arms Export Control Act. Another conspirator, 57-year-old Vladimir Pridacha of Illinois, has pleaded not guilty to charges related to the case. Two other defendants in the case are fugitives.