- Alexander Vinnik may get in a hostage situation amid US extradition
- Zoe Konstantopoulou fights to prevent Vinnik’s extradition
‘Criminal Mastermind’ – Alexander Vinnik – from Russia was arrested in 2017 against money laundering schemes worth 4 Billion USd including hacking high profile funds from MT Gox. The convict – Alexander Vinnik – was arrested from a small beachside village in Northern Greece. The convict was described as an operator in BTC-e – a crypto exchange dealing in digital currencies since 2011. Moreover, the reports state that laundered money was involved in crimes such as drug trafficking and computer hacking.
In 2017, Alexander Vinnik was handed-over to the French authorities where he was charged with identity theft and extortion. He has served five years of imprisonment as of now. Before the French authorities sent Vinnik to Greece, Justice Minister – Kostas Tsiaras – approved his extradition to the U.S. government.
Alexander’s Defense Fights His Extradition to The U.S.
Alexander Vinnik’s defense team is now in a fear that he will be transferred to the United States as soon as he returns to the country. In defending the convict, Zoe Konstantopoulou – former parliamentary speaker tried preventing the deployment of his client to the US. She warned saying that Vinnk will effectively become a ‘HOSTAGE’ in the clashes happening between Russia and Ukraine.
Zoe defended with some valid points on humanitarian grounds. Keeping the facts in picture, Alexander’s wife passed away in 2020, with two children left behind, aged – 8 and 11. These children are growing up without parents, said Zoe.
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US Authorities Ready to Bring Vinnik Down
In the first week of July, the U.S. authorities withdrew their request to get the convict directly from France. However, Vinnik’s french lawyer claims this as a perfect maneuver from the US as they have already received an approval from the Greece authorities for his extradition.
Also, authorities from Moscow formally requested French and Greek authorities to hand over the convict to the Russian government. On previous occasions in 2017 Alexander Vinnik expressed his will, saying he will return to his home country and face justice there.
Source: https://www.thecoinrepublic.com/2022/08/01/will-alexander-vinnik-be-hostage-to-the-u-s-amid-russias-war-in-ukraine/