Czech police use software from a company with hidden Russian owners

Police in the Czech Republic use Oxygen Forensics software for digital forensics, while in the US, executives linked to the company have been accused of concealing its Russian owners and software development in Russia.

The use of Oxygen Forensics products by Czech state structures was reported by iROZHLAS. After information about the American investigation emerged, the police told the outlet that they had taken “necessary measures” but did not specify their nature.

Oxygen Forensics develops tools for digital forensics. They allow law enforcement to acquire, preserve, and analyze information from smartphones, computers, and other electronic devices during investigations.

The company's products were purchased by individual units of the Czech police. In particular, in June 2026, the police of the South Moravian Region signed a contract to extend technical support for Oxygen Forensic Detective licenses worth more than 227 thousand Czech korunas.

What the US charges allege

The US Department of Justice reported on September 23 the arrest of Oxygen Forensics CEO Lee Reiber and Russian citizen Oleg Davydov. They are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

According to the American investigation, Oxygen Forensics presented itself as an independent American company and told US government customers that it had no foreign control. At the same time, prosecutors allege that through a Cyprus-registered entity, the company was owned and effectively controlled by five Russian citizens.

US authorities also claim that the Oxygen software was developed by a team in Russia. According to the case files, the same Russian owners controlled MKO Systems, which was previously called Oxygen Software. Its products, under other names, were allegedly sold to Russian clients, including the FSB, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.

Prosecutors believe that after the expansion of US sanctions against Russia in 2022, individuals tied to Oxygen Forensics began to conceal the Russian ownership structure and the location of product development in order to continue receiving government contracts in the US.

At the same time, the American criminal case does not contain allegations that the software contained malicious code or that it was used for unauthorized access to client data. The US Department of Justice itself emphasizes that the circumstances set out in the criminal complaint are allegations that have yet to be proven in court.

Czech police do not disclose measures taken

After questions from iROZHLAS, the Czech police confirmed the use of the relevant software and said they had taken necessary measures in response to the new information. Law enforcement did not reveal details.

Thus, at present there is no basis to assert that Czech police data was compromised or that the software contained hidden functions. The issue mainly concerns the origin of the product, the ownership structure of its manufacturer, and the accuracy of the information the company provided to government customers.

Sources: iROZHLAS, US Department of Justice