US Former Executive Accused of Selling Trade Secrets to Russia in Espionage Case
Published
- Serious allegations: A former executive is accused of stealing and selling trade secrets from two companies to a Russian-based buyer for $1.3 million.
- Company connection: Williams is reportedly linked to a subsidiary of defense contractor L3Harris that develops cyber intelligence tools for national security operations.
- Significant forfeiture: U.S. prosecutors are seeking the forfeiture of a house and luxury items, alleging they were proceeds from the sale of the stolen intellectual property.
U.S. prosecutors have filed charges against Peter Williams, a former executive of a government defense contractor, accusing him of selling corporate trade secrets belonging to two companies to a buyer in Russia that he stole between 2022 and 2025.
This case raises significant concerns about a potential national security breach involving sensitive U.S. technology.
Link to L3Harris Trenchant and Cyber Intelligence
According to an October 14 court filing, Williams allegedly stole seven trade secrets belonging to two companies between April 2022 and June 2025, and one trade secret between June 2025 and in or about August 6, 2025, in exchange for $1.3 million. Court documents, cited by Reuters, did not name the companies.
Yet, British business records identify Williams as the former general manager of L3Harris Trenchant, an aerospace and defense technology company, a role he held from October 2024 until his resignation in August 2025.
The company, a subsidiary of the major defense contractor L3Harris Technologies, specializes in developing sophisticated hacking and cyber intelligence tools for government agencies.
The potential compromise of these tools could provide adversaries with critical insights into U.S. intelligence-gathering capabilities and defensive postures. L3Harris has declined to comment on the matter, Reuters said.
TechCrunch recently reported that an ex-Trenchant employee, who “until recently built surveillance technologies for the company,” was targeted with spyware.
Broader Implications of the Breach
The allegations highlight the severe risks associated with insider threats within the defense and intelligence sectors. The sale of these trade secrets to Russia could allow foreign adversaries to neutralize U.S. hacking tools or, conversely, replicate them for their own offensive operations against federal systems.
Prosecutors are seeking the forfeiture of assets valued at $1.3 million, including a house in Washington, D.C., and various luxury items such as watches and jewelry. An arraignment and plea agreement hearing for Williams has been scheduled for October 29.
Earlier this year, a former CIA analyst pleaded guilty to publicly disclosing top-secret data on social media.
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