Met suspended Oxygen Forensics software after US Russian-ownership charges

London’s Metropolitan Police suspended its use of Oxygen Forensics software and began a review after US prosecutors accused the company’s leaders of concealing Russian ownership and development, The Times reported on September 29.

The case concerns a supplier whose tools recover and analyse data from digital devices. In its September 23 announcement, the Justice Department said CEO Lee Reiber and co-owner Oleg Davydov had been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Prosecutors allege five Russian nationals controlled the Virginia company through a Cyprus holding company.

According to the Justice Department, the alleged concealment followed expanded US sanctions against Russia in 2022. The National Computer Forensics Institute, part of the Secret Service, awarded a five-year software contract in September 2024.

Reiber was arrested in Idaho on September 20 and released on bond. Davydov was arrested at Heathrow that day before a flight to Istanbul. His lawyer declined comment after his September 29 extradition hearing, The Times reported. The Met said it had used the software on isolated systems and described its use as limited.

The Justice Department expressly said the complaint alleged neither malicious code nor unauthorised access to customers’ systems or data. The charges remain allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent.