Alexander Vinnik, an alleged operator of BTC-e—a digital currency central service that has been inwards functioning since 2011 but seized past times the regime correct afterwards Vinnik's arrest inwards a beachside hamlet inwards northern Hellenic Republic inwards belatedly July 2016 at the asking of US law enforcement authorities.
Since his arrest, Moscow has also requested Vinnik last returned home, every bit it has previously done amongst other Russian nationals wanted past times the United States.
However, the Greek courtroom ruled Midweek (4 October) to extradite Vinnik to the U.S., where he volition appear upward trial on the charges amongst the functioning of an unlicensed money service business, money laundering, conspiracy to commit money laundering, as well as engaging inwards unlawful monetary transactions.
U.S. regime suspect Vinnik was the ane responsible for facilitating crimes ranging from estimator hacking to drug trafficking since at to the lowest degree 2011 through his digital Bitcoin exchange.
U.S. regime also linked the accused to the failure of the once-very pop Japanese bitcoin central Mt. Gox, which was unopen downward inwards 2014 next a massive serial of mysterious robberies, which totalled at to the lowest degree $375 ane grand m inwards Bitcoin.
The regime believe Vinnik "obtained" funds from the hacker or insider who stole bitcoins from Mt. Gox as well as sent them to a bitcoin wallet controlled past times Vinnik, who intentionally laundered them through BTC-e, over a menstruum of 3 years.
"After the coins entered Vinnik's wallets, virtually were moved to BTC-e as well as presumably sold off or laundered (BTC-e money codes were a pop choice). In full unopen to 300,000 BTC ended upward on BTC-e," according to WizSec, a Japanese safety theatre that has long been investigating the Mt. Gox case.
"To last clear, this investigation turned upward evidence to position Vinnik non every bit a hacker/thief but every bit a money launderer; his arrest intelligence also suggests this is what he is beingness suspected for. He may induce got simply bought inexpensive coins from thieves as well as offered a laundering service."
While Greek constabulary described Vinnik every bit "an internationally sought 'mastermind' of a criminal offense organisation," U.S.A. of America regime defendant him of facilitating crimes including hacking, identity theft, revenue enhancement refund fraud, populace corruption as well as drug trafficking.
Soon afterwards the Greek courtroom decision, Vinnik's lawyers appealed to the Supreme Court.
"We induce got taken immediate activity as well as appealed the ruling, as well as the illustration volition last examined past times the criminal partition of the Supreme Court," Vinnik's lawyer, Alexandros Lykourezos, said, every bit quoted past times The News Tribune.
If extradited to the United States, Vinnik faces upward to 55 years inwards prison, along amongst a $500,000 fine or twice the value of the holding involved inwards the transaction for each count.
However, he has denied all charges against him, proverb he was exactly a technical consultant to BTC-e as well as non its operator.
"I induce got nada to produce amongst what I am defendant of," he told the judges.
Vinnik also claimed that the laptop seized past times the Greek regime during his arrest was inwards no means related to his job, adding that it exclusively contained children's cartoons for his family.
Vinnik is trying to supply to his abode inwards Russia, where he is facing lesser fraud charges, although a hearing appointment for the Russian extradition asking has non nonetheless been set.
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