Israeli businessman convicted in the US for aircraft parts for Russia requests transfer to Israeli prison

Israeli businessman Gal Haimovich, convicted in the US for illegal supply of aviation parts to Russia, wants to serve the remaining term not in an American federal prison, but in Israel.

He has already filed a petition in the Central District Court of Lod.

At first glance, this is a common legal procedure: an Israeli citizen asks to be transferred to his homeland to continue serving his sentence. But Haimovich’s case is too sensitive to be seen only as a matter of prison logistics.

Behind it lies another story — sanctions against Russia, the war in Ukraine, the supply of dual-use components, American export control, and an Israeli citizen caught in an international scheme.

Why this case is important not only for the USA

Haimovich is 50 years old. Early last year, an American court sentenced him to two years in prison and another three years of supervision after release.

The basis — conspiracy to illegally supply aviation parts and avionics from American manufacturers and suppliers to Russia.

This is not a story about an accidental mistake in an invoice.

According to the case materials, Haimovich admitted to participating in a scheme where American companies were given false information about the final destination of goods. Documents might list some countries, but the real destination, according to the American side, was Russia.

And this is what makes the case politically and legally heavy.

After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, aviation parts, electronics, avionics, and dual-use components became not just goods for Western countries. They turned into part of the sanctions front.

What exactly did Haimovich admit

As part of a plea agreement, Haimovich agreed that the scheme involved deceiving American suppliers and false information in export documents submitted to US authorities.

The essence of the accusation was simple: goods of American origin could not be sent to Russia bypassing export restrictions, but this is exactly what, according to the investigation, was happening.

An especially important detail: among the supplied components were aviation parts and avionics, including elements that can be used in missile technologies.

For the Israeli audience, this sounds extremely clear.

When it comes to dual-use technologies, the line between the civilian market and the military sphere can be very thin. Israel itself lives in a reality where logistics, electronics, aviation, and security are constantly interconnected.

How the supply scheme to Russia worked

According to the case materials, Haimovich owned an international freight forwarding company. It was part of a group of structures operating in different countries, including the USA and Israel.

Through these companies, he acted as a trusted forwarder for individuals and organizations who wanted to send goods to Russia, violating American export control rules.

The period is especially important: March 2022 — May 2023.

That is, this happened after the start of Russia’s major war against Ukraine. After the US and other Western countries imposed additional restrictions against Moscow. Already then, bypassing sanctions became not a gray commercial zone, but a direct risk of criminal prosecution.

According to the American side, Haimovich helped export aviation parts and avionics from the USA through intermediary carriers in the interests of Russian customers.

One of the stories concerns the airline S7 Airlines.

In August 2022, Haimovich, as claimed in the case, was hired to deliver an aviation component to Russia. At the same time, the US supplier was given false information: as if the part was intended for the Maldives.

On paper — the Maldives.

In reality, according to the investigation, — a Russian customer.

This is often how bypassing sanctions looks: not a direct route, not an open contract with a Russian structure, but a chain of countries, companies, carriers, and documents, where the main meaning is hidden behind formalities.

More than 160 deliveries and two million dollars

American materials indicate that from April 2022 to April 2023, Haimovich organized more than 160 deliveries to companies in the Maldives and the United Arab Emirates.

These companies, according to the investigation, participated in the further illegal transshipment of goods to Russia.

The scale here is crucial. This is not one episode that can be explained by negligence, misunderstanding, or an old contract. It was about dozens and hundreds of operations built during a period when the rules were already clear to all market participants.

Haimovich also admitted that he billed Russian clients for the illegal export of aviation parts and avionics from the USA to Russia.

Among the clients was the airline “Siberia,” operating under the brand S7 Airlines.

The invoice amounts exceeded two million dollars. As a result, Haimovich agreed to the confiscation of 2,024,435 dollars, as well as the confiscation of various aviation parts and components.

For readers of NANews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency in this case, the Israeli passport of the figure is not the only important thing. More important is something else: after 2022, business with Russia in sensitive technological areas ceased to be ordinary commerce. Especially if it concerns goods that can support Russian aviation or military chains.

Why he asks to be transferred to Israel

Now Haimovich asks to be allowed to serve the remaining part of the term in an Israeli prison. In his statement, he claims that as an Israeli citizen, he has the right to such a transfer.

This does not mean release.

If the court agrees, it will only be about changing the country of serving the sentence. The American sentence does not disappear, and the criminal story itself does not become less serious.

But symbolically, such a step will be noticeable.

An Israeli citizen, convicted in the USA for participating in a supply scheme to Russia after the start of the full-scale war, may return to Israel not as a businessman, but as a prisoner continuing to serve his term.

What the court in Lod must decide

The Central District Court of Lod must consider the petition in the coming days.

The question before the court is not only technical. It is necessary to assess whether there are legal grounds for the transfer, how it correlates with international obligations, and whether the decision creates problems in relations with the American side.

Israel finds itself in a difficult position here.

On the one hand, the state must protect the rights of its citizens, even if they are convicted abroad. On the other hand, the case is related to the violation of US export control, Russian customers, and the war against Ukraine.

And this is no longer just a private story of one entrepreneur.

This is a reminder for the entire Israeli business: after 2022, working with Russian structures, especially in aviation, electronics, logistics, and dual-use technologies, can end not only with a loss of money but also with a criminal case in another country.

There is no final decision yet.

But Haimovich’s request itself shows that the consequences of such schemes do not end with a sentence. They continue in courts, in diplomacy, in sanctions policy, and in the reputation of the country whose citizen is convicted.