DOJ Arrests Oxygen Forensics CEO Over Alleged Concealment of Russian Ownership
Summary
DOJ says Oxygen Forensics concealed Russian ownership while winning U.S. government contracts for forensic software. CEO Lee Reiber and Russian national Oleg Davydov were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Key points
- The DOJ alleges Oxygen Forensics misrepresented its ownership to U.S. government customers.
- CEO Lee Reiber was arrested in Idaho; Russian national Oleg Davydov was arrested in London, and DOJ plans to seek his extradition.
- Both face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud; the allegations have not been established at trial.
- Oxygen sold forensic software to the Secret Service, DHS agencies and the Defense Department, and received more than $2 million in Secret Service contracts and purchases after 2022.
- According to the complaint, the company installed Reiber as CEO and removed the Russian owners from public corporate filings after U.S. sanctions on Russia expanded in 2022.
- The DOJ announcement says the complaint does not allege malicious code or unauthorized access to customers’ systems or data.
Article Details
- Event Type
- U.S. arrests of Oxygen Forensics CEO Lee Reiber and Russian national Oleg Davydov in an alleged wire fraud conspiracy involving concealment of the company’s Russian ownership to secure U.S. government contracts.
- Impact
- Oxygen Forensics allegedly misrepresented its ownership to U.S. government customers, including DHS, the Secret Service, and the Defense Department, and obtained more than $2 million in contracts and purchases after 2022. DOJ states that the complaint does not allege the software contained malicious code or was used for unauthorized access.
People
Lee ReiberOxygen Forensics CEO arrested in the alleged wire fraud conspiracy.Natalia KrapivaSenior tech-legal counsel at Access Now who commented on the arrests and the company’s alleged Russian ownership.Oleg DavydovRussian national identified by DOJ as one of five people who controlled Oxygen Forensics; arrested in London in the alleged wire fraud conspiracy.