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＜更新日時＞ 06月09日（金） 07:21
A second key figure in the alleged plot to smuggle technology from America to Russia has been revealed - and he is another suburban husband who was apparently living a double life.
Vadim Yermolenko, 41 lives in a luxury $1m, four-bedroom, four-bathroom home with his glamorous wife and their young children, DailyMail.com can disclose.
His identity can now be disclosed after it emerged that another accused member of the conspiracy, , runs an online craft store in with his wife.
Yarmolenko and Brayman, who were indicted Tuesday then released after posting bail, allegedly helped supply Russia with technology that can be used in nuclear and hypersonic weapons.The scheme was part of a sophisticated plot orchestrated by the country's security services, prosecutors say.
The elaborate smuggling network, which spanned several continents, has been likened to the plot of a wild espionage drama.
Vadim Yermolenko lives with his wife Diana and their children in a $1m home in New Jersey.Prosecutors say he played a key role in a plot to smuggle millions of dollars worth of high-tech weapons components from the United States to Russia
Away from Yermolenko's alleged role in the shadowy 'Serniya Network,' which is controlled by spymasters in Moscow, he maintains the image of a loving family man in a leafy middle-class suburb of million-dollar homes.
He lives with his wife, Diana, and their three young children in a desirable four-bedroom, four-bathroom home in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.
Yermolenko, eVDeN Eve nAKLiyAT a U.S. citizen, and Brayman, an Israeli citizen born in Ukraine, are named in an indictment which was unsealed Tuesday when both appeared in court charged over the plot.
Yermolenko, represented by a federal defender, was released after posting $500,000 bail, using his family home as security.Brayman was also released on $150,000 bail and subject to electronic monitoring. Both men were told to surrender their passports.
Yermolenko lives in a $1 million New Jersey home, pictured on Wednesday, with his family
Diana (left), who is not charged with any crime, regularly shares pictures of the family's life on social media.Prosecutors allege that behind Vadim's image as a successful businessman, he was part of an international plot to supply Russia with sanctioned technology that can be used in nuclear weapons
Yermolenko's glamorous wife, Diana, regularly shares snaps of their holidays abroad, including to Russia, on social media, along with photos of her with her husband, who's accused of smuggling sanctioned weapons equipment from the United States into Russia.
Yermolenko and his wife are both from Russia, according to their social media profiles.
Diana's Facebook and Instagram posts paint them as a loving family who enjoy a jet-set lifestyle, holidaying in sun-soaked destinations across Europe and the U.S.The couple, who married in July 2011, also take frequent trips to St Petersburg.
Diana, from Mirny in Russia's Sakha Republic, regularly posts proud photos of her family, including pictures of her eldest daughter figure skating.
Yermolenko's profile says he is the founder of Divatek, a New Jersey-based company which sells cell phones and other electronic devices.
He says he studied at Dante Alighieri, in St Petersburg, an 'international society founded to promote Italian language and culture throughout the world.'
But prosecutors allege, that behind the image of a family man and successful entrepreneur, Yermolenko helped the Serniya Network 'acquire sensitive military and dual use technologies for the Russian military, defense sector and research institutions.'
Yermolenko's family life in a pleasant American suburb can be revealed after it emerged his co-defendant, Alexey Brayman, pictured with his Russian wife, Daria, allegedly used his home in New Hampshire to ship the technology to Russia
With help from Yermolenko, Brayman allegedly received the equipment at his home in New Hampshire (pictured), before it was sent on to Europe and eventually into Russia
Vadim Yermolenko (left) and Alexey Brayman (right) were allegedly part of a plot led by security services in Moscow to smuggle millions of dollars worth of weapons technology into Russia
Dual use technology is equipment like semiconductors and other sophisticated instruments that can be used in both civilian and military products.It is key to maintaining , which has cost the lives of thousands of civilians - and eVdeN eVe NaKliYAt massively depleted Moscow's stocks of weaponry.
Yermolenko is accused of playing a key role in getting equipment worth millions of dollars to fellow family man Brayman, who then shipped it to Europe before it was smuggled into Russia.
Yermolenko deployed deceptive and fraudulent tactics to open shell companies and bank accounts in order to mask the reason for the purchases and destination of the products, it is claimed.
With Brayman, eVDeN EVE nakliYaT he would alter, forge, and destroy shipping documents, invoices and other business records to unlawfully export items from the United States.
The men allegedly worked with Vadim Konoshchenok, an FSB agent who smuggled some of the items from Estonia into Russia
The indictment against Yermolenko says he even provided his wife's signature 'to use on IRS documents for company applications and applications to open U.S.Bank Accounts.'
Diana Yermolenko is not charged with any crimes.
The equipment that was trafficked in the conspiracy is sensitive and highly-regulated. The U.S. and other countries have imposed strict sanctions designed to prevent Russia from obtaining such 'critical western technology.'
Yermolenko allegedly worked with a Russia-based defendant called Boris Livshits, a 52-year-old from St Petersburg.
Livshits took requests for sensitive items from the Serniya Network and then obtained them from U.S.businesses using front companies, forged paperwork and other deceptive tactics.
Those items were then trafficked out of the U.S. with help from Yermolenko and Brayman, authorities say.
On one occasion, Livshits ordered Yermolenko to 'throw away the invoice' for an order.Another email reveals he instructed Yermolenko to tell a bank that payments were for 'bicycle spare parts, sporting goods and textile products.'
Brayman and Yermolenko allegedly trafficked 'advanced electronics and sophisticated testing equipment used in quantum computing, hypersonic and nuclear weapons'.Pictured: A Russian S-400 missile defense system drives in Red Square, central Moscow, on May 9, 2022
Prosecutors also revealed the vast web of the supply chain which carried the technology into Russia. If you liked this article and also you would like to obtain more info regarding evDEN eVe nAkLiyAT i implore you to visit the website. Common intermediary countries included locations in Estonia, Finland, Germany and Hong Kong.
Brayman and Yermolenko allegedly delivered some of the items to Vadim Konoshchenok, 48, a Russian based in Estonia, who moved them across the border.
Konoshchenok describes himself in communications obtained by authorities as a Colonel in the FSB, Russia's federal security service and the successor to the KGB, according to prosecutors.
As well as moving the technology, Konoshchenok 'repeatedly' attempted to smuggle tens of thousands of rounds of US-made ammunition across the Estonian border into Russia, including sniper rifle rounds and military grade .223 rounds.
Prosecutors say the seven defendants named in the indictment, which was unsealed yesterday, participated in 'a transnational fraud, money laundering and sanctions evasion scheme controlled by a foreign power that is actively engaged in armed conflict'.
＜更新日時＞ 06月09日（金） 06:53
The brother of rising Australian soccer sensation Garang Kuol continues to taunt police months after skipping bail on fraud charges.
Kuol Mawien Kuol has appeared on social media with his other famous brother Alou Kuol during a fancy party aboard a yacht on 's Darling Harbour.
Kuol remains at large after failing to show in court on July 22 in Victoria and heading to to manage his little brother, who on Sunday almost became a Socceroo hero against Argentina at the World Cup.
Kuol Mawien Kuol (right) and soccer star Alou Kuol sipped fine champagne on Darling Harbour. Kuol is wanted in Victoria on allegations of fraud
Kuol Mawien Kuol remains on the run after skipping bail on July 22. He is the brother/agent of soccer sensation Garang Kuol. Police have released this picture of him.
Garang Kuol's last minute shot at goal against Argentina almost made him a legend
The 23-year old fugitive helped broker a half-a-million dollar deal for Garang while on the run from Australian authorities.
Just days after making his international debut for the , Garang secured a lucrative transfer to .
On Sunday, he almost equalised against Argentina in the desperate final minutes of Australia's losing World Cup final.
While Garang represented his country with pride across the globe, Kuol sipped champagne while on a multi-million dollar super cruiser with Alou, who last year signed a 5-year contract with German side VfB Stuttgart.
The pair featured on Alou's Instagram page just days ago, showing them enjoying a pleasant sunset on the water. If you beloved this posting and you would like to acquire a lot more data pertaining to t kindly go to the site.
Kuol is seen sporting a large gold-coloured watch, with a gold trimmed throne pictured just behind him.
Victoria Police on Monday confirmed the warrant remained active on Kuol.
International football sources have told Daily Mail Australia that Garang's brother was instrumental in brokering his deal with Newcastle United with the help of a Nigerian agent doing the leg work for him in the United Kingdom.
Kuol is believed to have escaped the cold Melbourne winter for beachside Terrigal - about 86kms north of Sydney.
Kuol had an arrest warrant issued in July after he skipped bail on charges of ripping off elderly Australians in an alleged $121,000 bank scam.
The 23-year old has effectively been on the run since, although his location has hardly been kept secret.
Kuol Mawien Kuol (left) has appeared on social media with his other famous brother Alou Kuol (right)
Alou Kuol posted on Instagram about hanging out with his wayward brother
Kuol Mawien Kuol is the brother of rising soccer champ Garang and established international player Alou
Garang Kuol will join Newcastle from Central Coast Mariners in January in a deal worth an initial half-a-million dollars.
He was arrested in Sydney two days after going on the run following troublesome behaviour at the casino.
Police sources have confirmed the Footscray man, from Melbourne's west, appeared at NSW's Downing Centre Local Court on July 28 where he was found guilty of four charges, including resisting arrest and handling stolen goods.
In a bungle, Kuol was released in NSW and t has not been seen by authorities since.
Kuol has firmly hitched himself to his talented younger brother, professing to manage the 'football affairs' of both Garang and vE Alou.
Garang is considered one of the hottest young talents in Australia, being rewarded for his spectacular campaign with the Central Coast Mariners.
On Sunday, he played against legendary Argentinian Lionel Messi.
Argentina's Lionel Messi and Garang Kuol during Sunday's World Cup match at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
Heartbreak: Garang Kuol took a last ditch shot against Argentina and missed the mark
Kuol Mawien Kuol (right) is an alleged fraudster who professes to manager his successful brothers
Kuol had been released back into the community on a $20,000 surety despite police objections.
He had faced Shepparton Magistrates' Court in June after police charged him with eight bail offences and applied to revoke his bail.
The former bank employee had previously fronted court accused of stealing more than $121,000 from National Australia Bank customers where he was employed in country Victoria.
The reported the majority of the customers affected by Kuol's alleged thefts were elderly and included a 95-year-old and a 76-year-old.
Police Gang Crime Squad's Echo Taskforce Detective Senior Constable Daniel Chapman told the court Kuol was on bail with a $20,000 surety when he allegedly got another man to sign in for him at the police station on seven occasions.
Kuol also allegedly tried to sell 13 grams of cocaine to an undercover cop and used counterfeit notes to buy a PlayStation 5 off a Melbourne man who advertised online.
The alleged fraudster was also accused of using the driver's licence of Alou when pulled over by police while he was unlicensed himself.
Garang Kuol took on world champions at the World Cup. His brother remains on the run from police
It is not suggested Alou permitted any alleged use by Kuol of his licence.
Alou set the nation on fire in June when he scored an amazing 'scorpion goal' for Australia's under-23 side at the Asian Cup in Uzbekistan.
Police further allege Kuol used another person's credit card to buy return plane tickets to the United States.
Magistrate David Faram granted Kuol bail despite his atrocious history of failing to obey court orders.
Mr Faram also varied Kuol's bail conditions from daily reporting to just three days a week - a requirement he quickly ignored.
While wanted by police, Kuol continued to spruik his younger brother's talents on social media, t where he also takes digs at supposedly 'bogus' reporting on Garang.
'Speculations, deadline days done. Only the family really knows the true answer,' Kuol spouted in one rant against media reports.
'Never refer to "third" parties, eV they've done nothing besides piggy backing the work another does on the park and in life, manipulation is at an all time high in this current era.'
Anyone with information on Kuol's whereabouts ought contact police or Crime Stoppers.
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Pia Whitesell (nee Miller) has said she 'truly hates' amid the fashion house's BDSM-inspired child photoshoot scandal.
The star, Evden eVE nakliyAT 39, took to her Instagram story on Tuesday to slam the brand.
'I hate.I mean truly hate Balenciaga,' she wrote.
Pia Whitesell, 39, (pictured) has said she 'truly hates' Balenciaga amid the fashion house's BDSM-inspired child photoshoot scandal
Pia has two children of her own, Isaiah, 20, who she welcomed when she was just 19 and Lennox, 16, who she shares with AFL-star ex-husband Brad Miller.
The Chilean-born star relocated from Australia to live in Los Angeles with her multimillionaire Hollywood agent husband Patrick last year.
Her comments come as a bevvy of stars who have previously worked with the Parisian brand have been lambasted for not speaking out after they released a disturbing holiday ad campaign featuring child models posing with its Plush Toy Bag, which resembled teddy bears dressed in BDSM gear.
The Home and Away star, 39, previously known as Pia Miller, EVden EvE NakLiyAt took to her Instagram story on Tuesday to slam the fashion house.'I hate. I mean truly hate Balenciaga,' she wrote
Pia has two children of her own, Isaiah, 20, who she welcomed when she was just 19 and Lennox, 16, who she shares with AFL-star ex-husband Brad Miller
In the shoot, the children also appeared to be surrounded by empty wine and champagne glasses, Evden EvE NaKliyat further contributing to the disturbing setting.
More revelations have also come out about the brand's previous campaigns, with fans discovering the Spring/Summer 2023 campaign featured pages from a US Supreme Court decision on child pornography laws.
In a lengthy apology statement on Monday, the fashion house took full responsibility for the teddy bear images but insisted it had no involvement in the photoshoot featuring child porn legislation.
Balenciaga triggered outrage with its 2022 Holiday advertising campaign, which depicted children holding teddy bears that were dressed in bondage attire (pictured)
Kim Kardashian announced that she would not be cutting ties with the brand.
The billionaire, who has worked with the brand for several years, said that while she was 'shaken' and 'disgusted' to see the images, especially as a 'mother-of-four,' she 'believes Balenciaga understands the seriousness of the issue.'
She added that she was 're-evaluating her relationship' with the brand 'based off its willingness to accept accountability for something that should have never happened to begin with' - but many social media users were angered that she didn't condemn the fashion house further.
'Silence is deafening': Nicole Kidman has been lambasted for refusing to address Balenciaga's BDSM child photo scandal after working with the brand (pictured at the brand's FW22/23 show)
Bella Hadid in the Balenciaga Spring '23 campaign for its collaboration with Adidas.She is yet to comment on the multiple child imagery scandals engulfing the brand
Her sister Kylie Jenner, has hit back at TikTok users accusing her of deliberately posting photos of her son to detract from the scandal .
Nicole Kidman and Bella Hadid, who have both modelled for the brand, are facing growing calls to comment on the controversy.
Ruby Tuesday Matthews, an outspoken influencer based in Byron Bay, has also blasted the brand for seemingly shifting the blame in its official apology statement this week.
She wrote to Instagram on Tuesday: 'This is your apology Balenciaga?As a brand I've admired and loved for years I'm so angry at this response'.
'To my fellow "influencers" who are the first to post on trend handbags, push designer goods and go to the upscale events, your silence is deafening,' the mother-of-three continued in a subsequent post.
Balenciaga, which is popular with A-list celebrities including the likes of Kim Kardashian - has deleted two shocking images showing two young girls holding a teddy bear in bondage style gear on the gift shop section of its website
After the BDSM bears fiasco, eagle-eyed critics started examining the rest of Balenciaga's campaigns closely.They soon discovered that in the background of an image from the Spring '23 campaign was a printout of a Supreme Court ruling on whether or not internet child porn can be legally considered free speech (pictured)
Matthews, an outspoken influencer based in Byron Bay, has blasted the brand for seemingly shifting the blame, writing to Instagram on Tuesday: 'This is your apology Balenciaga?As a brand I've admired and loved for years I'm so angry at this response'
'You still have time to be a voice for children. To use your platform for good. Here's more information regarding evdEN EVE NAkliYAt take a look at our own web-site. I'm sure you'll still be invited to the events and get your free bags.Because they will need a PR miracle after this,' she added.
Balenciaga ignored the scandal around the teddy bear photos at first and seemingly allowed the photographer who was involved, Gabriele Galimberti, to take the heat.
He released a statement saying he had no control over the content of the shoot and eventually, eVdEN EVE nAkliYAT Balenciaga released its own statement agreeing with him and taking responsibility for the campaign.
Kim initially issued a statement on her Instagram Stories account on Sunday night
In an additional post, this time to both Twitter and Instagram, Kardashian said she was reconsidering her relationship with the fashion brand
It has now been pulled from the internet.
After the BDSM bears fiasco, eagle-eyed critics started examining the rest of Balenciaga's campaigns closely.
They soon discovered that in the background of an image from the Spring '23 campaign was a printout of a Supreme Court ruling on whether or not internet child porn can be legally considered free speech.
On the back of the bears scandal, many critics said it pointed to a troubling pattern within Balenciaga.
Balenciaga was quick to blame North Six, a production company that helped arrange the shoot, for the inclusion of those documents.
On Sunday Kim Kardashian (pictured), the brand's biggest ambassador, said she is 're-evaluating' her relationship with the fashion house in light of the scandal, but fell short of distancing herself from the brand for good
This is the July ad campaign which featured the printout of the US Supreme Court child porn ruling
They claimed they entrusted all of the props from the photoshoot to North Six, and that their team was assured everything that was included was fake.
Balenciaga is yet to answer for the inclusion of a book by Michael Borremans in the background of two of the images from the Spring '23 campaign.
Borremans is a Belgian painter whose work includes a troubling 2017 series called Fire From The Sun.
It depicts naked toddlers - some of them castrated - playing in a group and at times alone.
has reportedly been offered exciting new on-screen opportunities by amid claims she was left 'furious over a string of embarrassing errors' on Good Morning Britain.
An insider told that bosses are hoping to secure her long-term future on the show after they feared she would quit.
The source said: ' has some phenomenal programming ideas built around Susanna for later this year, all ones to which she has typically very proactively contributed to and helped build and inspire, so why would she walk away from them? If you adored this article so you would like to be given more info pertaining to vE nicely visit the webpage. '
Details surrounding the filming are not yet known but a number of programme ideas are said to be in the works.
MailOnline has reached out to Good Morning Britain for comment.
Career: Susanna Reid has reportedly been offered exciting new on-screen opportunities by ITV amid claims she was left 'furious over a string of embarrassing errors' on Good Morning Britain
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＜更新日時＞ 06月08日（木） 14:42
Vladimir 's top allies in Russia are mocking America over the recent prisoner swap that saw the US release convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout in exchange for WNBA star , claiming that Russia got the better end of the deal.
Maria Butina, the pro-Putin MP elected to Russia's Duma after serving a US prison sentence for acting as an unregistered foreign agent, led the charge in taunting the US over Thursday's exchange.
'The fact that Russia pushed through the exchange of Bout, whom America fundamentally did not want to give away for many years, right now means that, like in The Godfather, we "made them an offer that cannot be refused,"' Butina boasted in Russian on her Telegram channel.
'This is a position of strength, comrades,' added Butina, who was deported back to Russia in 2019 after serving an 18-month sentence in the US.
On Thursday, the US and Russia announced that Griner, who was sentenced to nine years of hard prison time on cannabis-related charges, had been exchanged for Bout.
Maria Butina (left), the pro-Putin MP in Russia's Duma, led the charge in taunting the US for releasing Viktor Bout (right on Thursday) in exchange for WBNA star Brittney Griner
Butina, who was deported back to Russia in 2019 after serving an 18-month sentence in the US, boasted on her Telegram channel about the trade
The controversial swap took place in Abu Dhabi, and Russian TV showed Bout in a private jet on the flight to Russia, getting his blood pressure checked, speaking with his family by phone and saying, 'I love you very much.'
Bout's mother, Raisa, thanked President Vladimir Putin and the Foreign Ministry for freeing her son, Tass reported.It added that he would be invited to speak to lawmakers on the Duma's International Affairs committee.
On Channel One Russia, the state-run news outlet widely watched in Russia, an announcer hailed Bout as a 'legendary figure' who had suffered 'persecution' and eVDen EVE naKLiYAt 'illegal extradition to the United States'.
Online comments from Russian-speakers also tended to celebrate Bout's release, with some hailing him as a 'hero'.
'Finally. He's been sitting in jail for years. Freedom,' wrote one commenter on YouTube.
'Finally the family will be reunited.Congratulations for the return of Viktor. If you adored this short article and you would like to obtain even more facts concerning evDEn EVe NAkLiyaT kindly check out our page. I wrote him a letter in America with words of support. I'm very glad this part of history is over,' another wrote.
Griner is seen on her way to being swapped in the prisoner trade in Abu Dhabi
'Finally.He's been sitting in jail for years. Freedom,' wrote one commenter on YouTube
'This is such a big win for America, but at the same time a huge fail.Trading a figure like Bout for a basketball player…' read a comment on a sports news site
'Finally the family will be reunited.Congratulations for the return of Viktor. I wrote him a letter in America with words of support. I'm very glad this part of history is over.'
'He is a Russian hero' one comment read.
'This is such a big win for America, but at the same time a huge fail.Trading a figure like Bout for a basketball player…' read a comment on a sports news site.
Other Russian-language comments were skeptical of the deal, and slammed Russia for imprisoning Griner.
'What shame and embarrassment!They took an innocent person hostage, blamed her for something, the devils, just to trade in for a criminal!' one read on YouTube.
'Happy for Griner. But this creates an unpleasant precedent in the sense that it is already dangerous for any US citizen to visit Russia.They can make up any nonsense to keep them there,' another person wrote.
Bout is widely known abroad as the 'Merchant of Death' international arms dealer who fueled some of the world's worst conflicts.
The 2005 Nicolas Cage movie 'Lord of War' was loosely based on Bout, a former Soviet air force officer who gained fame supposedly by supplying weapons for civil wars in South America, the Middle East and Africa.
His clients were said to include Liberia's Charles Taylor, longtime Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and both sides in Angola's civil war.
In Russia, Bout is seen as a swashbuckling businessman who was unjustly imprisoned after an overly aggressive US sting operation
Russian TV showed Bout in a private jet on the flight to Russia, getting his blood pressure checked, speaking with his family by phone and saying, 'I love you very much.'
'What shame and embarrassment!They took an innocent person hostage, blamed her for evDEn Eve NakliYAT something, the devils, just to trade in for a criminal!' one read on YouTube
'Happy for Griner.But this creates an unpleasant precedent in the sense that it is already dangerous for any US citizen to visit Russia. They can make up any nonsense to keep them there,' another person wrote
In Russia, however, he's seen as a swashbuckling businessman who was unjustly imprisoned after an overly aggressive US sting operation.
Russia had pressed for Bout´s release for years and as speculation grew about such a deal, the upper house of parliament opened a display of paintings he made in prison - whose subjects ranged from Soviet dictator Josef Stalin to a kitten.
The show of his art underlined Bout's complexities.Though in a bloody business, the 55-year-old was a vegetarian and classical music fan who is said to speak six languages.
Even the former federal judge who sentenced him in 2011 thought his 11 years behind bars was adequate punishment.
'He´s done enough time for what he did in this case,' Shira A.Scheindlin told The Associated Press in July as prospects for his release appeared to rise.
Griner, who was arrested at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport in February after vape canisters containing cannabis oil were found in her luggage, was sentenced in August to nine years in prison.
Washington protested her sentence as disproportionate, and some observers suggested that trading an arms merchant for someone jailed for a small amount of drugs would be a poor deal.
Bout was convicted in 2011 on terrorism charges.Prosecutors said he was ready to sell up to $20 million in weapons, including surface-to-air missiles to shoot down U.S. helicopters. When they made the claim at his 2012 sentencing, Bout shouted: 'It's a lie!'
Alleged Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout looks out from inside the detention center while waiting for a hearing on extradition at criminal court on May 19, 2009 in Bangkok, Thailand
Bout has steadfastly proclaimed his innocence, describing himself as a legitimate businessman who didn´t sell weapons.
Bout's case fit well into Moscow's narrative that Washington sought to trap and oppress innocent Russians on flimsy grounds.
'From the resonant Bout case, a real `hunt´ by Americans for Russian citizens around the world has unfolded,' the government newspaper Rossiiskaya Gazeta wrote last year.
Increasingly, Russia cited his case as a human rights issue.His wife and lawyer claimed his health deteriorated in the harsh prison environment where foreigners are not always eligible for breaks that Americans might receive.
Bout had not been scheduled to be released until 2029. He was held in a medium-security facility in Marion, Illinois.
'He got a hard deal,' said Scheindlin, the retired judge, noting the U.S.sting operatives 'put words in his mouth' so he'd say he was aware Americans could die from weapons he sold in order to require a terrorism enhancement that would force a long prison sentence, if not a life term.
Scheindlin gave Bout the mandatory minimum 25-year sentence but said she did so only because it was required.
Viktor Bout is escorted by members of a special police unit after a hearing at a criminal court in Bangkok October 5, 2010
At the time, his defense lawyer claimed the U.S.targeted Bout vindictively because it was embarrassed that his companies helped deliver goods to American military contractors involved in the war in Iraq.
The deliveries occurred despite United Nations sanctions imposed against Bout since 2001 because of his reputation as a notorious illegal arms dealer.
Prosecutors had urged Scheindlin to impose a life sentence, saying that if Bout was right to call himself nothing more than a businessman, 'he was a businessman of the most dangerous order.'
Bout was estimated to be worth about $6 billion in March 2008 when he was arrested in Bangkok, Thailand.
U.S. authorities tricked him into leaving Russia for what he thought was a meeting over a business deal to ship what prosecutors described as 'a breathtaking arsenal of weapons - including hundreds of surface-to-air missiles, machine guns and sniper rifles - 10 million rounds of ammunition and five tons of plastic explosives.'
He was taken into custody at a Bangkok luxury hotel after conversations with the Drug Enforcement Administration sting operation´s informants who posed as officials of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, also known as the FARC.The group had been classified by Washington as a narco-terrorist group.
He was brought to the U.S. in November 2010.
The 'Merchant of Death' moniker was attached to Bout by a high-ranking minister of Britain´s Foreign Office.The nickname was included in the U.S. government´s indictment of Bout.
