Russia arrests executives of company linked to Doppelgänger disinformation group

Active since 2022, this influence campaign led to the dissemination of fake articles mimicking major Western media outlets to promote pro-Russian narratives.

Russian law enforcement arrested, in early April 2025, the three administrators of Russian tech company Aeza Group, who are accused of running a large-scale drug trafficking operation. Western cybersecurity researchers had previously linked Aeza to the pro-Russian disinformation campaign known as Doppelgänger, active since 2022.

This information network notably published fake articles imitating the websites of respected Western media outlets, such as Der Spiegel (Germany) and The Guardian (United Kingdom). Aeza is also believed to have hosted several cybercriminal infrastructures, including malware strains like Lumma and Meduza.

The charges brought by Russian authorities make no mention of these illicit activities targeting the West. According to Russian media, however, Aeza’s two co-founders are suspected of having hosted BlackSprut, an online drug marketplace.