Ilya Sachkov Jailed: Sude Confirms Verdict for Group-Ib Founder

The first appeal of the general jurisdiction on Monday rejected the appeal of Ilya Sachkov, the founder and general director of Group-IB, specializing in cybersecurity. The court left unchanged the verdict of the Moscow City Court of July 26, 2023, according to which Sachkov was found guilty of state treason under Article 275 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and was sentenced to 14 years in prison in a maximum security colony.

The trial was held closed, since the materials of the criminal case had the vulture “Top Secret”. The judge announced only the introductory and resolving parts of the court ruling, without revealing the essence of the accusation and evidence of Sachkov’s guilt.

Sachkov’s lawyers said they will continue to challenge the verdict in the cassation instance.

Ilya Sachkov was arrested and enclosed in a pre-trial detention center in September 2021. According to investigators, the founder of Group-Ib allegedly transmitted secret data on cyberosis to foreign intelligence services, thereby causing damage to the interests of Russia. Sachkov himself denies any wrongdoing.