Peter Williams, the former head of Trenchant at L3Harris, pled guilty to stealing eight hacking tools from his employer and selling them for crypto between 2022 and 2025, totaling over $1.3 million.

A US Department of Justice statement confirms Williams’s role in stealing and selling the exploits, marking a high-profile case of a senior defense contractor executive involved in cybercrime.

The case highlights cybersecurity and international illicit procurement concerns as a high-ranking former defense contractor executive faces criminal activity charges.

Prosecutors say Williams sold the exploits to a Russian broker, enabling potential global government surveillance, cybercrime, and ransomware access for millions of computers and devices, including in the United States.

The tools sold could compromise millions of computers worldwide and were directed to a Russian broker, raising broad international ramifications.

Williams’s sentencing is scheduled for February 24 in a Washington, D.C. federal court, with prosecutors seeking nine years in prison, three years of supervised release, $35 million in restitution, and a $250,000 fine, plus possible deportation to Australia after serving the sentence.

Details such as jurisdiction, specific charges, evidence, and penalties are not fully provided in the excerpt, so a complete summary would require additional information.