On July 26, the Moscow City Court is set to announce the verdict in the case of Ilya Sachkov, the founder of cybersecurity company Group-IB, who is accused of treason.
Sergey Afanasyev, Sachkov’s lawyer, has revealed that the prosecution is requesting an 18-year prison sentence. However, the defense is arguing for Sachkov’s acquittal.
In September 2021, Ilya Sachkov was arrested and placed in a pre-trial detention center. He stands accused of state treason, which carries a potential punishment of 12 to 20 years in prison. Sachkov maintains his innocence.
Group-IB is a Russian cybersecurity company that recently underwent restructuring. In spring 2022, its Russian assets were separated and the company continued operating in Russia under the new brand F.A.C.T.
Most of the case file, as is common in treason cases, is classified. However, a document published on June 15 by the VChK-OGPU Telegram channel revealed that the prosecution alleges Sachkov transferred classified information to undisclosed foreigners more than a decade ago.
Sachkov’s defense team asserts that this alleged misconduct is unrelated to the activities of Group-IB.