US Prosecutors Charge Oxygen Forensics CEO Over Hidden Russian Ties

The investigation centers on CEO Lee Reiber and Moscow-based technical director Oleg Davydov, both charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Prosecutors claim the duo utilized a Cyprus-based shell company to mask the fact that the software was developed by a Russian firm—formerly Oxygen Software, now MKO Systems—which has documented ties to the FSB and other Russian state security services. Following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Reiber allegedly scrubbed Russian owners from public records while allowing them to maintain control over company finances and board decisions.

Security bodies in Slovakia, the UK, Latvia, and Romania are now scrambling to terminate contracts or suspend use of the forensic tool. While US authorities confirmed the charges focus on procurement fraud rather than the discovery of malicious backdoors or unauthorized data exfiltration, the geopolitical implications have proved decisive. The Slovak National Security Authority warned that the software’s origin presents an unacceptable risk to data integrity, prompting widespread audits of digital investigative infrastructure across European member states.