The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against the Russia-based cyber security firm Operation Zero and its leader, Sergey Sergeyevich Zelenyuk, alleging that the group financed U.S. commercial espionage through cryptocurrency and used network-attack tools to threaten national security. The measures also target five additional individuals connected to the operation who face charges related to deploying tools that damage U.S. interests.
Australian citizen Peter Williams admitted two counts of commercial espionage for stealing proprietary software from a U.S. defense contractor and handing millions of dollars in cryptocurrency to Operation Zero as compensation. Williams pleaded guilty to the alleged thefts and transfers, highlighting the operational links between the defendant and the sanctioned entity.
OFAC states that Operation Zero primarily trades exploit tools capable of weaponizing software vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access, steal data, or control devices, and that a compensation mechanism was used to pay those who carried out attacks. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized that the United States will hold accountable anyone who steals commercial secrets and will continue to protect sensitive technologies and national security.
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