A Silver Spring man has been indicted on charges that he illegally exported to Pakistan goods and technology related to the production of nuclear materials.
The indictment, unsealed Wednesday in federal court in Baltimore, alleges that 45-year-old Nadeem Akhtar violated U.S. export regulations by sending nuclear-related materials to Pakistan without the proper licenses.
Federal authorities require a license to export certain items because they can be used in nuclear reactors and producing or processing nuclear material. Prosecutors say Akhtar, a Pakistani national and legal permanent U.S. resident, sent such items to Pakistan even though he didn’t have a license to do so and tried to conceal the end-users of the items through false invoices and purchase orders.
The items included radiation detection devices, resins for coolant water purification, calibration and switching equipment and surface refinishing abrasives, according to the indictment.
Akhtar is in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for Thursday.
