Russia arrests CEO of tech company linked to Doppelgänger disinformation campaign therecord.media/doppelgan…

The chief executive of Russian tech company Aeza Group has been arrested in Moscow on suspicion of leading a criminal organization and involvement in large-scale drug trafficking.

Yuri Bozoyan, who heads the St. Petersburg-based hosting provider, was placed in pretrial detention. Two other Aeza employees, Maxim Orel and Tatyana Zubova, were also detained on similar charges. The company is believed by cybersecurity researchers to have links to state-sponsored disinformation campaigns, as well as the country’s cybercriminal infrastructure.

The trio faces accusations of participating in a criminal group and attempting to traffic narcotics, according to Russian court documents. Last week, local law enforcement raided Aeza’s St. Petersburg office, which is located in a building formerly used by enterprises associated with the late paramilitary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, whose media empire was best known for operating “troll farms.”

Founded in 2021, Aeza offers server rental and hosting services. Bozoyan reportedly joined the company in 2023.