The US authorities notified the Russian embassy in Washington about the arrest of Russian Alexander Vinnik, who is suspected of $4 billion in cyber fraud, RIA Novosti reports , citing a statement from the embassy.
The diplomatic mission is closely monitoring the situation and intends to provide Vinnik with "consular and legal assistance." The embassy also asked the State Department for information about his whereabouts and about the lawyers working with him.
On August 4, the court decided to transfer Vinnik's case to Greek jurisdiction, he was extradited from a Paris prison to Greece. Also, the Court of Appeal of Paris approved the withdrawal of the US request for the extradition of Vinnik and the end of the case against him in France. Greek lawyer Zoe Konstantopoulou told RIA Novosti about Vinnik's disappearance in Greece, but later it became known that he had been extradited to the United States.
Information technology specialist Alexander Vinnik was detained in July 2017 in Greece at the request of the United States. The US Department of Justice accused him of fraud for $ 4 billion. According to investigators, Vinnik stole this money after a cyber attack on the Mt. Gox in 2014, and the BTC-e cryptocurrency exchange, for which the Russian specialist worked, was engaged in money laundering.
In 2018, at the request of the French authorities, Greece agreed to extradite Vinnik to France, where he is also accused of cybercrimes, the damage from which amounted to €130 million. Vinnik himself stated in court that he was not involved in the crimes. In January 2020, the Russian was extradited to France, later a Parisian court sentenced him to 5 years in prison and a fine of €5,000. Taking into account the time spent in prison under investigation, and the rules of parole, Vinnik's term expired on June 29 this year, lawyers insist.