Russia arrests cyber-security tycoon Ilya Sachkov on suspicion of state treason

Russia has detained the co-founder of the top cyber-security firm, Ilya Sachkov in suspected treason against the state, RIA News reported. According to a statement by a Moscow court, the 39-year-old business tycoon has been stated to remain under custody for two months. The owner of Group IB (GIB) was arrested as he allegedly denied passing on "secret information" to "foreign intelligence services", BBC reported, citing an unnamed source as told to Tass agency.

On the sidelines of Sachkov's detention, the Russian federal forces also raided the Moscow headquarters on Wednesday. Later, their Amsterdam office also faced a similar unannounced visit from the Russian federal agents. On the same day, Lefortovsky court in Moscow announced pre-trial judicial custody for alleged treason against the Kremlin. It is to be noted that punishment for disloyalty to the Russian government usually amounts to 12-20 years of jail time. Authorities have refused to provide further details citing an open investigation.

"At the moment, the lawyers of Group-IB...are studying the ruling of the Lefortovo District Court of Moscow dated September 28, 2021, in relation to the founder and CEO Group-IB by Ilya Sachkov," Group IB said in a statement.

Following Sachkov's arrest, the company released a statement claiming innocence in the matter. Additionally, they also informed that the "top management and legal services are working to clarify the situation," France 24 reported quoting the company. According to a press release by GIB, the second founder of the company, Dmitry Volkov, will take over the management of the company in the near future. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov asserted that the Kremlin was unaware of the details of the case, BBC reported.  

Who is Ilya Sachkov?

Ilya Sachkov is a 39-year-old Russian entrepreneur who co-founded Group IB when he was 17. According to the company profile on LinkedIn, Group IB is the largest global threat hunting and adversary-centric cyber intelligence company. It is noteworthy that Sachkov was awarded by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2019 for his "innovative breakthrough" for developments in the field of cyber security. He was also listed in the Forbes 30 under-30 list of entrepreneurs in 2016. Besides, Sachkov is also a member of international associations like the International Information Systems  Forensics Association (IISFA), Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), and the Honey Project.

Under the leadership of Sachkov, the company currently works to mitigate cyber security threats along with international agencies like Interpol. In 2016, he was said to be working along with the Russian Ministry of International Affairs and Europol to help nab cyber-criminals. As per its website, the company also has offices in Amsterdam, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Hanoi.

It is noteworthy that Russia has increased treason-related arrests in recent times. Several prominent personalities, including journalists, cybersecurity officials, and scientists have been nabbed under allegations of treachery. Meanwhile, Russia has also been accused of engaging in cyber-attacks on Western countries, which has been outrightly denied by the Kremlin.

(Image: AP/@Sachkot_Instagram)