The tension between the USA and Russia gained a new dimension with the Ukraine war, not only on the front line but also in the fields of technology, intelligence and security. While Washington's sanctions against Moscow are being expanded, allegations that Russia maintains its technological and institutional connections in the West through secret means continue to come to the fore. Finally, an investigation that emerged in the USA carried this discussion directly to a software used by American security institutions.
According to the statements of the US Department of Justice, a lawsuit was filed against two people for allegedly concealing from the American authorities the real ownership of a Russia-linked digital forensic company and the fact that its software was developed and managed in Russia. It is stated that the size of the investigation became even more remarkable after the company signed a five-year contract with the US Secret Service.
Within the scope of the investigation, the company's CEO, 55-year-old American Lee Reiber, was arrested in Idaho in the USA, and 52-year-old Russian citizen Oleg Davydov was arrested at Heathrow Airport in England. As US authorities prepare to request Davydov's extradition, both suspects are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
SO, HOW DID RUSSIA TRIED TO INfiltrate the 'US SECRET SERVICE'?
At the center of the case is Oxygen Forensics, which operates in Alexandria, Virginia. The company develops digital forensics software for recovering, preserving and analyzing electronic data from digital devices. Such technologies can be used by law enforcement and security units to obtain data from mobile phones, computers and other digital devices.
According to US prosecutors, the company had connections with Russia since its founding and the development of its software. The prosecutor's office alleges that Oxygen Forensics' software was developed by Oleg Davydov in 2013 and was previously sold to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), the Russian Investigative Committee and the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Lee Reiber joined the company in 2015. Reiber was appointed as the company's CEO, president and chairman of the board in March 2022, about a month after Russia began large-scale attacks on Ukraine. Prosecutors claim that during this period, a comprehensive arrangement was made to conceal the company's Russian connections.
According to the statement of the Central District of California Attorney General's Office, Reiber, Davydov and their Russian partners agreed to hide the real ownership of the company and the fact that the software was developed in Russia after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. According to the prosecution, the company's Russian owners were removed from public corporate records, strengthening the impression that Oxygen Forensics was an American-based company.
However, according to investigators, this change was limited only to the company's official records. It was claimed that the Russian owners maintained influence over the company, continued to make important business decisions, and had signature authority on the company's bank accounts. An even more striking claim is that Russian owners were able to override Reiber's payment decisions.
INFORMATION GIVEN TO THE US GOVERNMENT IS AT THE CENTER OF THE INVESTIGATION
According to court records, Reiber told the US government in December 2022 and October 2023 that Oxygen Forensics was not a company directly or ultimately owned by Russia. However, prosecutors argue that these statements do not match the actual ownership structure of the company. An e-mail seized during the investigation is also among the important evidence of the case.
Allegedly, in the message he sent to Davydov and his two Russian partners, Reiber stated that the revelation of the company's connections with Russia could "destroy this entire opportunity" and endanger the current existence of the company.
This correspondence is considered one of the main elements of the prosecution's claim that the company's Russian connections were deliberately concealed. Another remarkable phase of the investigation was the agreement made with the US Secret Service.
FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT FROM THE US SECRET SERVICE
The US Secret Service awarded Oxygen Forensics a five-year contract for its software in September 2024. After the digital forensics technology developed by the company began to be used by one of the American security institutions, allegations about the company's ownership structure and where the software was developed became more critical.
Prosecutors allege that Reiber told the US government in March 2026 that no Russian citizens were involved in the development of the software and that no one in Russia had access to the development environment where the software was created. However, according to the prosecutor's office, this statement does not reflect the truth.
Investigators claim that the software was developed in Russia, written by a team based in Russia, and managed by the same team. Thus, the focus of the investigation is not limited to statements regarding the ownership structure of the company; It extends to the question of whether the technical team and development process behind the software presented to the US government was also hidden from American authorities.
IT WAS SAID 'RUSSIA HAS NO ROLE' BUT THE PROSECUTION OFFICE CLAIMED THE OTHERWISE
The underlying accusation of the case is that Oxygen Forensics' true ties to Russia were specifically concealed and that the company was enabled to operate under the guise of an American company. According to the prosecutor's office, sanctions and political pressures imposed after Russia's invasion of Ukraine created a situation that could put its business operations at risk if the company's Russian ownership and the software's development in Russia were revealed.
For this reason, it is claimed that Reiber and other suspects changed the structure of the company, Russian owners were removed from public records, and US authorities were informed that the company had no ties to Russia. On the other hand, the claim that the company's connections in Russia have not been completely eliminated, that Russian owners continue to influence important decisions and that software development activities continue in Russia constitute one of the most critical points of the case.
TWO SUSPECTS FACE UP TO 20 YEARS IN JAIL
As part of the investigation, Reiber was detained in Idaho and Davydov was detained at Heathrow Airport. Since Davydov is a Russian citizen, US authorities are expected to request his extradition from the UK. Both men are accused of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
It is stated that the accusations do not constitute a final verdict of guilt by the court and that the defendants have the right to plead not guilty during the trial process. It is reported that Reiber and Davydov may face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
The Telegraph's news titled "Russian plot uncovered to 'infiltrate US Secret Service'" was used.
