Accused Russian agent pleads guilty in US over tech smuggling scheme

A Texas man who U.S. authorities said was the central figure in a scheme to illegally export microelectronic components for use by Russia's military and spy agencies pleaded guilty on Wednesday.

Alexander Fishenko, a resident of Houston, Texas and dual U.S.-Russian citizen, pleaded guilty in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, to all of the charges against him, less than two weeks before he was set to face trial.

The plea, announced by Acting Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Kelly Currie, came almost three years after Fishenko and 10 other individuals were first charged in connection with what authorities said was an elaborate procurement network.