NJ Defense Contractor Charged With Sending Military Blueprints To India

U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman says the owner of two New Jersey defense contracting businesses was arraigned today for allegedly transmitting military blueprints to India without a license, in violation of export laws.

Hannah Robert was indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 10, on one count of violating the Arms Export Control Act and one count of conspiracy to violate the act. She remains under home detention pending trial.

According to documents and court statements, Robert contracted with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to supply defense hardware items and spare parts. Robert and a resident of India conspired to export to India defense technical drawings without obtaining the necessary licenses from the U.S. Department of State. The exported technical drawings include parts used in the torpedo systems for nuclear submarines, in military attack helicopters, and in F-15 fighter aircraft.

Allegedly, Robert lied on her bids for DoD contracts, stating that she would be supplying American-made products and that her New Jersey based company was a manufacturer, rather than a dealer, of defense spare parts.

The conspiracy count with which Robert is charged is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The violation of the Arms Export Control Act is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The indictment also seeks forfeiture of Robert’s proceeds from the alleged criminal scheme.