Ex-L3Harris executive sentenced to 87 months in prison for selling zero-day exploits to Russian broker | CyberScoop<\/title> <meta name=\"description\" content=\"Peter Williams was sentenced to seven years in prison Tuesday for selling restricted zero-day exploits to a Russian broker. Prosecutors say the $35M trade secret theft involved the specialized Trenchant unit.\"> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/l3harris-executive-peter-williams-sentenced-zero-day-exploits-russia\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ex-L3Harris executive sentenced to 87 months in prison for selling zero-day exploits to Russian broker\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Peter Williams was sentenced to seven years in prison Tuesday for selling restricted zero-day exploits to a Russian broker. Prosecutors say the $35M trade secret theft involved the specialized Trenchant unit.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/l3harris-executive-peter-williams-sentenced-zero-day-exploits-russia\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cyberscoop\/\"> <meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-02-24T21:44:08+00:00\"> <meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-24T21:45:55+00:00\"> <meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ex-l3harris-executive-sentenced-to-87-months-in-prison-for-selling-zero-day-exploits-to-russian-broker-2.jpg\"> <meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"6000\"> <meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"3375\"> <meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\"> <meta name=\"author\" content=\"Greg Otto\"> <meta name=\"twitter:card\" 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href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/l3harris-executive-peter-williams-sentenced-zero-day-exploits-russia\/#main\" class=\"skip-to-content-link visually-hidden-focusable\">Skip to main content<\/a> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-desktop\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <main id=\"main\" role=\"main\" tabindex=\"-1\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-mobile\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"stickybar\" class=\"stickybar stickybar--newsletter js-stickybar\" readability=\"0.82\"> <button class=\"stickybar__close js-stickybar-close\" aria-controls=\"stickybar\"> <svg class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"25.804195804196\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"35.30193236715\">\n<ul class=\"single-article__eyebrow\">\n<li class=\"single-article__category\"> <a class=\"single-article__category-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/l3harris-executive-peter-williams-sentenced-zero-day-exploits-russia\/\"> <span>Government<\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> Additionally, the U.S. Treasury sanctioned the Russian zero-day brokerage that Peter Williams sold the exploits to. <\/p>\n<p>  <br \/>\n<audio id=\"audio-player\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-tts-cdn.api.scpnewsgrp.com\/cyberscoop\/87902\/english.openai.mp3\"><\/audio> <\/p>\n<div readability=\"11\">\n<div>\n<p>Listen to this article<\/p>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p>0:00<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p> <span id=\"tts-tooltip\">Learn more.<\/span> <span> This feature uses an automated voice, which may result in occasional errors in pronunciation, tone, or sentiment. <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ex-l3harris-executive-sentenced-to-87-months-in-prison-for-selling-zero-day-exploits-to-russian-broker.jpg?resize=640%2C360&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt=\"FBI, DOJ, FIN7, Methbot\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ex-l3harris-executive-sentenced-to-87-months-in-prison-for-selling-zero-day-exploits-to-russian-broker-2.jpg 6000w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ex-l3harris-executive-sentenced-to-87-months-in-prison-for-selling-zero-day-exploits-to-russian-broker-2.jpg?resize=300,168 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ex-l3harris-executive-sentenced-to-87-months-in-prison-for-selling-zero-day-exploits-to-russian-broker-2.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ex-l3harris-executive-sentenced-to-87-months-in-prison-for-selling-zero-day-exploits-to-russian-broker-2.jpg?resize=1024,576 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ex-l3harris-executive-sentenced-to-87-months-in-prison-for-selling-zero-day-exploits-to-russian-broker-2.jpg?resize=1536,864 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ex-l3harris-executive-sentenced-to-87-months-in-prison-for-selling-zero-day-exploits-to-russian-broker-2.jpg?resize=2048,1152 2048w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ex-l3harris-executive-sentenced-to-87-months-in-prison-for-selling-zero-day-exploits-to-russian-broker-2.jpg?resize=600,337 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ex-l3harris-executive-sentenced-to-87-months-in-prison-for-selling-zero-day-exploits-to-russian-broker-2.jpg?resize=1200,675 1200w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ex-l3harris-executive-sentenced-to-87-months-in-prison-for-selling-zero-day-exploits-to-russian-broker-2.jpg?resize=1500,843 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\"><figcaption> (Getty Images) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"21.0585182534\"><body readability=\"43.2320694381\"><\/p>\n<p>An ex-L3 Harris executive was sentenced to over seven years in prison Tuesday after pleading guilty to selling eight zero-day exploits to a Russian broker in exchange for millions of dollars.<\/p>\n<p>Williams, 39, <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/peter-williams-guilty-selling-zero-day-exploits-russian-broker-operation-zero\/\">admitted to two counts<\/a> of theft of trade secrets in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., last year, acknowledging he took at least eight exploits or exploit components while working at Trenchant, a specialized cybersecurity unit owned by L3Harris. Prosecutors said the materials were intended for restricted use by the U.S. government and allied partners.<\/p>\n<p>Authorities said Williams sold the stolen information to a broker that advertised itself as a reseller of hacking tools and described it as serving multiple customers, including the Russian government. In court, the government referred to the buyer as \u201cCompany 3,\u201d but details read aloud during the plea hearing pointed to Operation Zero, a Russian exploit broker that publicly markets itself online as a platform for purchasing zero-day vulnerabilities.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, Operation Zero was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.state.gov\/releases\/office-of-the-spokesperson\/2026\/02\/designation-of-russia-based-zero-day-exploits-broker-and-affiliates-for-theft-of-u-s-trade-secrets\/\">one of two zero-day brokerages<\/a> sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in a separate announcement made Tuesday.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Prosecutors said Williams used his access at Trenchant over roughly three years to obtain proprietary materials and entered into several deals with the broker, receiving payments in cryptocurrency. Officials said he used proceeds to buy luxury items. The Justice Department has estimated the theft caused $35 million in losses to the contractor, while prosecutors said Williams earned $1.3 million tied to the sales and should be ordered to pay that amount in restitution. <\/p>\n<p>Williams\u2019 background added another layer noted in court. Prosecutors said he previously served in the Australian Signals Directorate, Australia\u2019s foreign signals intelligence agency. Trenchant\u2019s origins are also part of the record: it was formed after <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/l3-acquires-azimuth-and-linchpin\/\">L3Harris acquired Azimuth Security<\/a> and Linchpin Labs, Australian firms associated with exploit development.<\/p>\n<p>Neither Trenchant nor L3Harris is accused of wrongdoing in the criminal case. <\/p>\n<p>A hearing for further restitution related to the $35 million in losses is scheduled for May.<\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\" readability=\"3.807119205298\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"14\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ex-l3harris-executive-sentenced-to-87-months-in-prison-for-selling-zero-day-exploits-to-russian-broker-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Greg Otto\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Greg Otto<\/h4>\n<p> Greg Otto is Editor-in-Chief of CyberScoop, overseeing all editorial content for the website. Greg has led cybersecurity coverage that has won various awards, including accolades from the Society of Professional Journalists and the American Society of Business Publication Editors. Prior to joining Scoop News Group, Greg worked for the Washington Business Journal, U.S. News & World Report and WTOP Radio. 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{"id":8378,"date":"2026-02-24T15:44:08","date_gmt":"2026-02-24T21:44:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=87902"},"modified":"2026-02-24T15:44:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T21:44:08","slug":"ex-l3harris-executive-sentenced-to-87-months-in-prison-for-selling-zero-day-exploits-to-russian-broker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2026\/02\/24\/ex-l3harris-executive-sentenced-to-87-months-in-prison-for-selling-zero-day-exploits-to-russian-broker\/","title":{"rendered":"Ex-L3Harris executive sentenced to 87 months in prison for selling zero-day exploits to Russian broker"},"content":{"rendered":"