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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After a three-day trial, a federal jury found ANTON ANDREYEVICH IAGOUNOV, 38, of South Lake Tahoe, guilty on 4 counts of fraud, specifically impersonating a federal officer.

The Justice Department had charged him with pretending to be a federal law enforcement agent, saying he signed documents seeking “protected” information from the Department of Defense, using a name of a fictional federal agent.  Using “bogus” documents, prosecutors said he tried multiple times seeking sensitive information.  His fraud scheme usually included pretending to be an agent for the Office of Inspector General [OIG], at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) agency.

Speaking about the fraud schemes, Michael Graham, NASA-OIG, Acting Assistant Inspector General for Investigations said, “Th(e) jury’s verdict demonstrates the commitment of NASA-OIG, the U.S. Attorney [USA], and … [the FBI] to aggressively investigate, prosecute, and hold accountable” individuals who impersonate federal agents.”

Another document … said to be a “bogus” search warrant, was sent by IAGOUNOV to the U.S. Capitol Police.  Reportedly, authorized by a federal District Court Judge in Washington, DC on July 5, 2022, and signed by a NASA agent, prosecutors said capitol police said the warrant was a “fake,” suspecting fraud and referred the matter to NASA-OIG for investigation.

On July 11, 2022, IAGOUNOV again pretended to be a NASA-OIG agent, seeking an “emergency” search warrant from the federal District Court in the Central District of California. The document was sent from an email address suggesting it came from a government agency, but owned by the defendant, and named to look like the agency’s internet domain.  Again, suspecting fraud investigators were alerted.

Still scheming, on July 18, 2022, IAGOUNOV turned his attention to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Middle District of Georgia, again claiming to be a NASA-OIG agent.  Using the same fictitious name, claiming “exigent” circumstances, he wanted a judge’s signature “immediately.” But authorities were now suspicious of his activities concerned about fraud.

Lastly, as alleged in the indictment, prosecutors said on July 24, 2022, IAGOUNOV faxed a letter to the federal District Court in the Northern District of Florida, again seeking a search warrant.  Using the name of a real NASA-OIG agent, he said he needed a judge’s signature immediately, again claiming “exigent circumstance(s).”  The faxed letter included an email address for the agent that actually belonged to IAGOUNOV.  Apparently, he sent the fax, because days earlier, on July 15, he sent the warrant to the bankruptcy court but hadn’t received a response.

In each case, given the suspicious nature of the documents, court personnel referred the matter to NASA-OIG for review and investigation.  Once alerted the FBI launched its own investigation.

IAGOUNOV was scheduled to be sentenced on October 17, 2024, by U.S. District Court Judge Daniel J. Calabretta.  For each count, he faces a maximum statutory prison sentence totaling three years and a $250,000 fine.

IAGOUNOV was initially pulled over by the Carson City Sheriff’s Office on April 22, 2022, when deputies observed an obstructed license plate. During the stop, deputies noticed red and blue police lights installed in his vehicle which is illegal in the State of Nevada. He also produced a counterfeit FBI badge claiming he was connected with the agency.

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Article updated September 1, 2024