Yakov Pisman, Contraband Cigarette Trafficking, Money Laundering, Missouri 2018

Yakov Pisman, 60-Year-Old New York Man, Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Contraband Cigarette Trafficking and Money Laundering

In a bold move by law enforcement, Yakov Pisman, a 60-year-old New York resident, has been sentenced to 87 months in prison for his involvement in a conspiracy to traffic in contraband cigarettes and money laundering.

According to court documents, Pisman and his co-conspirators, including Oleksandr Zyuz, Sergei Kishchenko, Mykalo Zyuz, and Volodymr Zyuz, conspired for more than four years to purchase contraband cigarettes in low-tax markets in St. Louis, Missouri, and Atlanta, Georgia, and distribute them in New York, a high-tax market.

The illegal profits from the contraband cigarette sales were laundered through numerous accounts associated with the defendants and their fictitious companies, amounting to over $56 million dollars.

Pisman, who pleaded guilty to two felony counts of conspiracy to commit money laundering and trafficking in contraband cigarettes on February 21, 2018, was one of the leaders of the organization guiding operations in St. Louis, Atlanta, and New York.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division; and various state and local authorities.

Pisman's sentencing marks the latest development in the long-running investigation into the contraband cigarette trafficking ring, with multiple co-defendants already sentenced to terms ranging from 30 to 60 months in prison.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edmo/pr/final-defendant-sentenced-federal-conspiracy-charges