A former ship master accused of helping move sanctioned oil and evading U.S. authorities has admitted guilt in a federal court case that followed a dramatic pursuit across the Atlantic Ocean.
Avtandil Kalandadze, a 47-year-old citizen of the Republic of Georgia, entered a guilty plea in a U.S. District Court after being charged with refusing to comply with orders issued by the U.S. Coast Guard during a weeks-long chase involving a vessel linked to the so-called “shadow fleet” oil trade.
Prosecutors Highlight Risks of Sanctions Evasion
U.S. officials described the case as part of a broader effort to disrupt maritime networks used to transport oil connected to sanctioned nations and organizations.
Senior Justice Department representatives said the prosecution sends a message to vessel owners, operators and crews involved in covert shipping operations designed to bypass international restrictions.
Authorities argued that the actions taken by Kalandadze and others aboard the vessel placed U.S. service members at risk and complicated enforcement efforts aimed at stopping illicit oil shipments.
Atlantic Ocean Chase Ended With Vessel Seizure
Court records show that Kalandadze served as master of the motor tanker Bella 1 between September and December 2025.
During that period, investigators said the vessel transported roughly 1.8 million barrels of oil originating from Iran to buyers in Asia.
Authorities allege that multiple concealment techniques were used during these operations, including disabling the ship’s Automatic Identification System and obscuring the vessel’s identity during ship-to-ship transfers.
In late 2025, while the tanker was reportedly heading toward Venezuela, it was intercepted by the USCGC Munro.
Rather than stopping, prosecutors said the vessel ignored lawful orders to halt and attempted to flee across the Atlantic Ocean.
Investigators Allege Deliberate Efforts to Avoid Capture
According to the plea agreement, the tanker’s crew, under Kalandadze’s command and acting on instructions from a representative of the vessel’s operator, took several steps to evade interception.
Authorities said these actions included repeatedly refusing Coast Guard commands and destroying records and information aboard the vessel while the pursuit was underway.
The chase continued for weeks before U.S. authorities ultimately succeeded in carrying out a lawful seizure of the tanker on January 7.
Links to Sanctioned Oil Trade Examined
Federal investigators stated that the vessel was involved in transporting oil tied to sanctioned entities, including networks allegedly connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which the United States designates as a foreign terrorist organization.
Officials from the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations said the case illustrates how shipping operators sometimes use deceptive maritime practices to conceal the origin and destination of cargoes moving through international waters.
Investigators emphasized that maritime sanctions enforcement remains a priority, particularly in cases involving energy exports that could benefit sanctioned governments or organizations.
Sentencing Scheduled for August
Kalandadze pleaded guilty before Judge Beryl A. Howell to failing to obey an order to stop for a Coast Guard vessel.
The offense carries a maximum prison sentence of five years under federal law, barring additional aggravating factors.
Sentencing has been scheduled for August 7.
Court documents also indicate that Kalandadze will be deported following completion of any prison sentence imposed by the court.
Multi-Agency Investigation Led by Federal Authorities
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with support from several Justice Department divisions involved in sanctions enforcement and international legal cooperation.
Federal prosecutors handling the case said the successful prosecution reflects growing coordination among agencies seeking to identify, track and disrupt vessels operating within the global shadow-fleet network used to transport sanctioned oil around the world.
