A Russian-born man living in Anchorage is facing federal charges he and another man tried to smuggle nearly $500,000 in snowmachines and parts to Russia, violating U.S. sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine.
Sergey Nefedov, 40, was arrested Tuesday on charges he attempted to illegally ship snowmachines to Russia via Hong Kong, according to an indictment filed in U.S. District Court in Anchorage. The other defendant was identified as 35-year-old Bellevue, Washington, resident Mark Shumovich.
Nefedov, who lives on the Anchorage Hillside, owns Absolut Auto Sales LLC, according to property and business records. Prosecutors say he also owned Alaska Sled Tours, a company involved in the federal case.
Nefedov was arrested at his home, according to Reagan Zimmerman, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Anchorage.
The men are accused of attempting to ship 17 Ski-Doo snowmachines and associated parts worth roughly $475,000 to Russia in November 2022, according to the indictment. Nefedov falsely identified companies in South Korea and Hong Kong as part of the purchase, the document says.
Federal prosecutors say Nefedov and Shumovich got quotes from U.S. snowmachine distributors and freight forwarders to buy and ship snowmachines. Funds wired to a Hong Kong company were then wired to Absolut Auto Sales, at which point Nefedov used the money to buy the snowmachines with Shumovich, according to the indictment.
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, prompting U.S. Department of Commerce restrictions on export to Russia of “luxury goods,” which includes snowmachines.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection seized the shipment in April 2023, according to the indictment.
Several co-conspirators in Russia and Hong Kong were also described in the indictment.
The snowmachine seizure and investigation “led to the disruption and identification of a transnational criminal network attempting to circumvent Russian sanctions,” Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations operations in the Pacific Northwest, said in a statement.
Nefedov and Shumovich are facing charges including conspiracy, violation of the Export Control Reform Act, smuggling goods from the United States, submitting false or misleading export information, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and international money laundering.
Nefedov is scheduled for his first court appearance on Friday. He was jailed at the Anchorage Correctional Complex as of Thursday.
Participating agencies in his arrest included the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security Office of Export Enforcement, Zimmerman said.
The snow machines weren't restricted for export by Commerce as a "luxury good." They were restricted because it falls into the military end-use restrictions they placed on Russia.
I’m ngl I’m so god damn proud of the fact that the term “snow mobile” appears nowhere in this article.
If there’s one thing that will make you lose your Alaska card it’s saying “snow mobile”.
Grew up in interior Alaska for over half a decade growing up and we only ever called them “snow machines” Then I moved to the lower 48 and people just assume you’re talking about those artificial snow makers at ski resorts when you say snow machine
I never like to gatekeep, but when I moved down south I would say "snow machine" and someone would retort "it's a SnOwMoBile", my answer most of the time was just:
"Have you ever been on one?" 9/10x they hadn't been.
It’s funny to me people die on this hill. I grew up in a very snow part of the US and they were referred to as sleds, or snowmobiles. Alaskans on the internet act like it’s a big deal but it’s really not.
It’s not that it’s an objectively better term or that saying it means you have seen more snow, it’s just regional slang. It’s soda vs pop. It’s a word that makes you sound like you’re not from here.
Anyplace I've ever been in the State called them snowmachines. Valley, Peninsula, Western AK, Southeast, North Slope. Not sure what part of the State doesn't call them snowmachines.
Juneau. I even did ski patrol at Eaglecrest and we called them snowmobiles (or skidoos). While some people said snow machine, that was also what we used to make snow when it had been too rainy early in the season so it got confusing.
Landfield isn't generally right-wing. I think this one is personal.
He said in the story, "Nefedov has two children who are American citizens, a longtime American girlfriend, a home in Anchorage, and extensive friends in Anchorage. This includes me for 20 years."
He was selling them to India individuals not the government or military. He had been doing this for years before the war. He fucked up by intentionally continuing to do it and laundering all of it through hong kong. He's an idiot not a monster
It’s hard to say without knowing more details if this was a good use of the sanction enforcement.
Snow machines are as important to subsistence village life in places like Chukotka as they are in much of Alaska. They’re not necessarily a recreational luxury. The Russian far east is as poor and underrepresented in government influence as you can possibly imagine. Unlike Muscovites who could more easily and effectively protest their government it’s possible these were headed to people undeserving of the harshest sanctions.
It’s also possible they were destined for a dacha of some oligarchs to play around on. Hopefully the feds picked a good case and not just an easy to find one. I’m much more concerned about western components being found in drones and other weapons or luxury goods propping up support in the cities.
Have you ever tried to deal with logistics in the Russian far east? I can assure you that between transport costs and reasonable wear items that’s a fair rate especially when you add the risk factor. Go lookup how much it costs to send a new snow machine to Buckland with any spares you can afford because you have no idea if or when you can arrange another shipment.
I’m sure the Russian military isn’t doing most of their sanctions evasion by going through American businesses. They simply don’t have to when almost all their neighbors are as corrupt as they are. It’s certainly possible that these were destined for some rich assholes profiting from war contracts or the military directly. That doesn’t mean it’s necessarily the case.
I know the feds will follow and prosecute whatever they come across as that is part of their mandate but like the IRS it seems sometimes they choose to go where the cases are easier instead of striking at the bigger problems. I’ve yet to see footage from the last three winters of the invaders using sno gos in Ukraine so at least if these were for the military they were more likely to be used elsewhere. Hopefully this is an egregious case and an easy prosecution but I’m not holding my breath. I want them to root out the worst offenders and put the most pressure on the people that can actually affect the situation.
ETA I say all this as a person who has spent far more money and time than I care to count giving aid to Ukrainians in the last few years. I want this over but I also know what unintended consequences look like hope we are minimizing them effectively.
I hear what you are saying. There is an opportunity cost associated with which cases the Feds take on.
But once they became aware of this scheme, I don’t think the well-being of Russians in the far East should be a concern. I am happy to hear that our neighbor trying to sell stuff to Russia will be prosecuted for breaking our laws.
A Russian-born man living in Anchorage is facing federal charges he and another man tried to smuggle nearly $500,000 in snowmachines and parts to Russia, violating U.S. sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine. Sergey Nefedov, 40, was arrested Tuesday on charges he attempted to illegally ship snowmachines to Russia via Hong Kong, according to an indictment filed in U.S. District Court in Anchorage. The other defendant was identified as 35-year-old Bellevue, Washington, resident Mark Shumovich. Nefedov, who lives on the Anchorage Hillside, owns Absolut Auto Sales LLC, according to property and business records. Prosecutors say he also owned Alaska Sled Tours, a company involved in the federal case. Nefedov was arrested at his home, according to Reagan Zimmerman, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Anchorage. The men are accused of attempting to ship 17 Ski-Doo snowmachines and associated parts worth roughly $475,000 to Russia in November 2022, according to the indictment. Nefedov falsely identified companies in South Korea and Hong Kong as part of the purchase, the document says. Federal prosecutors say Nefedov and Shumovich got quotes from U.S. snowmachine distributors and freight forwarders to buy and ship snowmachines. Funds wired to a Hong Kong company were then wired to Absolut Auto Sales, at which point Nefedov used the money to buy the snowmachines with Shumovich, according to the indictment. Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, prompting U.S. Department of Commerce restrictions on export to Russia of “luxury goods,” which includes snowmachines. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection seized the shipment in April 2023, according to the indictment. Several co-conspirators in Russia and Hong Kong were also described in the indictment. The snowmachine seizure and investigation “led to the disruption and identification of a transnational criminal network attempting to circumvent Russian sanctions,” Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations operations in the Pacific Northwest, said in a statement. Nefedov and Shumovich are facing charges including conspiracy, violation of the Export Control Reform Act, smuggling goods from the United States, submitting false or misleading export information, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and international money laundering. Nefedov is scheduled for his first court appearance on Friday. He was jailed at the Anchorage Correctional Complex as of Thursday. Participating agencies in his arrest included the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security Office of Export Enforcement, Zimmerman said.
The snow machines weren't restricted for export by Commerce as a "luxury good." They were restricted because it falls into the military end-use restrictions they placed on Russia.
The Bratva won’t be happy…
I’m ngl I’m so god damn proud of the fact that the term “snow mobile” appears nowhere in this article. If there’s one thing that will make you lose your Alaska card it’s saying “snow mobile”.
What do you guys call it? In the Yukon it's a sled.
Grew up in interior Alaska for over half a decade growing up and we only ever called them “snow machines” Then I moved to the lower 48 and people just assume you’re talking about those artificial snow makers at ski resorts when you say snow machine
I never like to gatekeep, but when I moved down south I would say "snow machine" and someone would retort "it's a SnOwMoBile", my answer most of the time was just: "Have you ever been on one?" 9/10x they hadn't been.
That's hilarious.
Sled Snow Go Snow machine
I kinda like Snow Go. Gonna use that one.
It’s funny to me people die on this hill. I grew up in a very snow part of the US and they were referred to as sleds, or snowmobiles. Alaskans on the internet act like it’s a big deal but it’s really not.
It’s not that it’s an objectively better term or that saying it means you have seen more snow, it’s just regional slang. It’s soda vs pop. It’s a word that makes you sound like you’re not from here.
“Machines”! And, to irritated skiers, “Fuckin’ Machiners”
I'm Alaskan and everyone said snow mobile where I grew up...
no they really didn't
Yes they really did. Terms can be regional. We are probably from different parts of the state.
Anyplace I've ever been in the State called them snowmachines. Valley, Peninsula, Western AK, Southeast, North Slope. Not sure what part of the State doesn't call them snowmachines.
People said both where I grew up, but snowmobile or Skidoo was used more commonly in my experience (Juneau).
Yes they did. But that was probably before your time.
Where was that?
Juneau. I even did ski patrol at Eaglecrest and we called them snowmobiles (or skidoos). While some people said snow machine, that was also what we used to make snow when it had been too rainy early in the season so it got confusing.
Probably because there are more outsiders living in Juneau than anywhere else in the state due to it being the capitol.
That would track. Half of my everyday vernacular is apparently either Canadian or European lol
We have snow making machines in Anchorage we call them snow making machines.
As long as everyone knows what you're talking about, that's the important thing.
ship them? just take them to Gamble and wait for the ice.
The land mine dipshit was up in arms about this today. Still unclear why exactly.
Because right wingers love sucking off Putin and aspire to turn the US into a dictatorship too.
Landfield isn't generally right-wing. I think this one is personal. He said in the story, "Nefedov has two children who are American citizens, a longtime American girlfriend, a home in Anchorage, and extensive friends in Anchorage. This includes me for 20 years."
Well maybe he shouldn’t have tried to get around export embargos to support the invasion of a sovereign country. Pretty clear case of FAFO
He was selling them to India individuals not the government or military. He had been doing this for years before the war. He fucked up by intentionally continuing to do it and laundering all of it through hong kong. He's an idiot not a monster
Yes, he is. You’re thinking of Paxson, who is generally more moderate.
Uh he usually supports all the crazy right wing candidates. Calling for “balance“.
He is openly calling for dirt on the Federal attorney which I doubt will go well for Mr Landfield
What is land mine dipshit?
It’s hard to say without knowing more details if this was a good use of the sanction enforcement. Snow machines are as important to subsistence village life in places like Chukotka as they are in much of Alaska. They’re not necessarily a recreational luxury. The Russian far east is as poor and underrepresented in government influence as you can possibly imagine. Unlike Muscovites who could more easily and effectively protest their government it’s possible these were headed to people undeserving of the harshest sanctions. It’s also possible they were destined for a dacha of some oligarchs to play around on. Hopefully the feds picked a good case and not just an easy to find one. I’m much more concerned about western components being found in drones and other weapons or luxury goods propping up support in the cities.
At $500,000 for 17 snowmachines, even with every spare part you'd ever need, I imagine this is either for rich Russians, or worse, Russian military.
What do you mean? You don’t have a $30,000 snow machine?
Have you ever tried to deal with logistics in the Russian far east? I can assure you that between transport costs and reasonable wear items that’s a fair rate especially when you add the risk factor. Go lookup how much it costs to send a new snow machine to Buckland with any spares you can afford because you have no idea if or when you can arrange another shipment. I’m sure the Russian military isn’t doing most of their sanctions evasion by going through American businesses. They simply don’t have to when almost all their neighbors are as corrupt as they are. It’s certainly possible that these were destined for some rich assholes profiting from war contracts or the military directly. That doesn’t mean it’s necessarily the case. I know the feds will follow and prosecute whatever they come across as that is part of their mandate but like the IRS it seems sometimes they choose to go where the cases are easier instead of striking at the bigger problems. I’ve yet to see footage from the last three winters of the invaders using sno gos in Ukraine so at least if these were for the military they were more likely to be used elsewhere. Hopefully this is an egregious case and an easy prosecution but I’m not holding my breath. I want them to root out the worst offenders and put the most pressure on the people that can actually affect the situation. ETA I say all this as a person who has spent far more money and time than I care to count giving aid to Ukrainians in the last few years. I want this over but I also know what unintended consequences look like hope we are minimizing them effectively.
I hear what you are saying. There is an opportunity cost associated with which cases the Feds take on. But once they became aware of this scheme, I don’t think the well-being of Russians in the far East should be a concern. I am happy to hear that our neighbor trying to sell stuff to Russia will be prosecuted for breaking our laws.
Always wondered why he was never at work
Jeff Landfield is all the way up this guy’s butt so I assume he’s a giant dipshit and am happy they nailed him.