The Russian State Prosecutor’s Office has asked the Moscow City Court to impose a strict 18-year colonial regime on Ilya Sachkov, founder of Group IB, a cybersecurity and threat intelligence provider, according to his lawyer Sergei Afanasyev. told the Russian news agency Interfax on July 21, 2023. This was reported by the French news agency AFP.
Sachkov was arrested on September 29, 2021 after criticizing the Russian government’s response to a ransomware attack originating from the country. He is accused of treason.
He has since resigned from his role at Russia-based Group IB and sold his stake in the group’s international branch called Group IB Global Private Limited, headquartered in Singapore. He continues to hold shares in the Russian company, which will continue to operate under the new brand FACCT (Fight Against Cybercrime Technologies).
However, as Afanasiev said, the allegations against him are unrelated to Group IB’s activities. Interfax news agency reported that the businessman has been accused of transferring information, including state secrets, abroad. Sachkov maintains his innocence.
Afanasyev told Interfax that the case was considered at a “short-range pace” in just 10 working days.
Mr. Sachkov’s trial is being held behind closed doors at the Moscow City Court, as the materials in the criminal case are classified. Judgment will be handed down at 13:00 on July 26.
