Former US defense contractor executive accused of selling classified secrets to Russia for $1.3 million
In the United States, a former executive of a government contracting firm that provides cybersecurity tools to federal agencies has been formally charged.
Prosecutors allege that this individual earned over 1.3 million dollars by selling stolen trade secrets to Russia.
According to a lawsuit filed in Washington, Peter Williams stole at least eight documents containing sensitive cyber intelligence information from April 2022 to June 2025, intending to sell these data to Russian buyers.
It is known that Williams previously served as the CEO of L3Harris Trenchant in the UK until his resignation in August 2024.
The company develops cyber tools supporting national security operations and reportedly has contracts with the US government.
Prosecutors claim Williams profited significantly from the secret data sale, with efforts underway to seize his property in Washington along with luxury watches and jewelry.
An investigation into the cyber tool leak is ongoing, with court hearings scheduled for October 29.
Williams’s lawyers have yet to comment publicly.
The incident raises broader concerns about potential cyberattacks, especially considering reports of Russian hackers attacking UK military bases and distributing stolen data in the dark web, highlighting risks to US intelligence systems and potential retaliatory attacks by adversaries.