Top Russian cybersecurity executive sentenced to 14 years for treason

MOSCOW — A Russian court on Wednesday sentenced the head of one of the country’s top cybersecurity companies to 14 years in prison for high treason.

The trial of Ilya Sachkov was held behind closed doors, which is conventional practice for treason trials, and little is publicly known about the case against him. After his arrest in September 2021, reports said he was suspected of passing on state secrets but did not give specifics.

Sachkov is the founder of Group-IB, which specializes in combating cyberattacks and online fraud and investigating high-tech cyber crimes. Top Russian banks and companies, including state-run ones, are among the company’s clients.