Virginia tech firm's CEO, Russian national charged with hiding firm's Russian ties from U.S. government
Oxygen Forensics counted numerous U.S. government agencies among its customers but lied for years about who really controlled it, prosecutors allege.
TL;DR
- Oxygen Forensics CEO Lee Reiber and Russian businessman Oleg Davydov have been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
- Prosecutors allege they lied to the U.S. government for years about who controlled Oxygen Forensics, a software company selling to law enforcement and government agencies.
- The company's software is used by agencies including the U.S. Secret Service and Homeland Security Investigations.
- According to the criminal complaint, Russian nationals secretly owned and controlled Oxygen Forensics through a Cyprus holding company.
- Reiber allegedly signed government paperwork falsely stating the company was independent, helping it secure a $12 million contract with the Secret Service.
- The charges follow similar allegations made by a former Oxygen employee, Max Weissberg.
- Oxygen Forensics sued Weissberg for defamation after he posted a YouTube video about the company's alleged Russian ties.