Alexander Gurevich, a dual citizen of Russia and Israel, was arrested last Thursday at Ben-Gurion Airport as he allegedly attempted to flee to Russia using a passport under a different last name.
The 47-year-old resident of Bat Yam is now facing extradition to the United States, where he is accused of involvement in a major cryptocurrency hack.
Gurevich’s arrest marks the first public identification of the primary suspect behind a 2022 breach that nearly crippled a California-based blockchain firm.
U.S. Charges: Hacking, Laundering, and Extortion
According to a formal extradition request from U.S. authorities, Gurevich allegedly:
- Stole digital tokens from a cryptocurrency wallet,
- Laundered millions of dollars through complex financial networks,
- Transferred stolen property, and
- Demanded a $500,000 ransom in exchange for returning the stolen assets.
The U.S. says these actions posed a severe threat to the targeted company’s operations and to broader investor confidence.
Next Steps
Gurevich remains in Israeli custody as legal proceedings begin. If extradited, he could face multiple federal charges related to computer crime, wire fraud, and money laundering.
Authorities in both countries are now working together to process the case and uncover more details about the scope of the alleged attack.
Kosta Gushterov
Reporter at Coindoo
Kosta has been a part of the team since 2021 and has solidified his position with a thirst for knowledge, incredible dedication to his work and a “detective-like” mindset. He not only covers a wide range of trending topics, he also creates reviews, PR articles and educational content. His work has also been referenced by other news outlets.
Source: https://coindoo.com/israeli-russian-national-arrested-over-u-s-crypto-hack-allegations/