Belgian man charged in possible nuclear scheme

Federal prosecutors are accusing a Belgian national of illegally exporting aluminum tubes that can be used in creating nuclear materials after he purchased them from a Schaumburg company.

Nicholas Kaiga, 36, is facing charges of violating international trading laws and making false statements after prosecutors said he shipped the tubes to a Malaysian company that is a “front” for an individual with ties to Iran.

Kaiga has been under arrest since June. He is due in court Thursday for arraignment.

Prosecutors said the charges are the culmination of a lengthy undercover investigation in which the Schaumburg company — while cooperating with investigators — shipped different pipes to Kaiga’s business in Belgium before he shipped them to Malaysia. The decoy pipes were not considered “controlled” items that could be used to help create nuclear materials.

If convicted, Kaiga faces up to 20 years in prison.