# DOJ Charges Oxygen Forensics for Concealing Russian Ownership

The U.S. Department of Justice has charged Oxygen Forensics and its CEO, Lee Reiber, along with Russian national Oleg Sergeyevich Davydov, for concealing Russian ownership linked to Russian intelligence services while securing over $2 million in contracts with U.S. federal agencies including the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Secret Service. These contracts, notably a five-year software agreement with the Secret Service's National Computer Forensics Institute, involved digital forensics tools critical to law enforcement and national security operations. The case underscores significant procurement risks related to vendor ownership transparency, supply chain security, and compliance with sanctions in sensitive technology acquisitions.

- Procurement professionals should prioritize enhanced due diligence and ownership verification processes to mitigate risks of foreign influence in sensitive contracts.
- Agencies may need to review existing contracts for compliance with ownership disclosure and sanctions policies, especially in cybersecurity and digital forensics procurements.
- Contractors and vendors must ensure full transparency regarding ownership structures to maintain eligibility for federal contracts involving national security.
- This development signals increased government scrutiny on supply chain security and may lead to stricter procurement requirements for technology vendors serving security agencies.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military, Public Safety
**Topics:** Cybersecurity, Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** September 25, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)
- U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)
- Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
- U.S. Secret Service
- National Computer Forensics Institute (NCFI)

### Vendors
- Oxygen Forensics (prime contractor)
- MKO Systems ()

### Key Quotes
> We applaud the U.S. government for taking this crucial step, but the fact that it took so long is both a national security and a human rights scandal.
> — Natalia Krapiva, Senior Tech-Legal Counsel, Access Now

### Sources
- [Phone-hacking company that won U.S. security agency contracts hid Russian ownership, DOJ alleges | CyberScoop](https://cyberscoop.com/oxygen-forensics-ceo-arrested-russian-ownership-fraud) - CyberScoop
- [U.S. agencies bought forensics tools from Russian operation tied to FSB, DOJ says | LavX News](https://news.lavx.hu/article/u-s-agencies-bought-forensics-tools-from-russian-operation-tied-to-fsb-doj-says) - news.lavx.hu
- [US Company That Sold Phone Hacking Software To Pentagon, Secret Service Lied About Russian Ownership, Officials Say - Eurasia Review](https://www.eurasiareview.com/25092026-us-company-that-sold-phone-hacking-software-to-pentagon-secret-service-lied-about-russian-ownership-officials-say) - Eurasia Review