Crime News Courts

The yet nascent crypto industry is full of controversies. The latest one includes the developments on the alleged crypto criminal Alexander Vinnik. 

The top administrative court has held off the decision to extradite Alexander Vinnik, who is accused of laundering billions of dollars in crypto. The extradition has been suspended until the court hears an appeal. 

The Extradition Suspended

A Greek Minister already signed off the decision to extradite Vinnik to France earlier this month. The minister also ordered to prepare all the necessary documents. However, Vinnik’s lawyer Zoe Costantopoulou called the decision as a ‘death sentence’ and also stated that Vinnik has gone on a hunger strike. 

After which, on Tuesday, the highest administrative court of Germany scheduled the next hearing to review the appeal on January 10, 2020.

The Alleged Criminal Wanted by 3 Countries

The mastermind has been accused of laundering $4 billion through his cryptocurrency trading platform BTC-e. His crimes further include being a part of the stolen Mt. Gox funds scandal. Besides this, he is also a wanted criminal for misdeeds performed in France and his native country Russia. 

Pertaining to the severity of his crimes, Vinnik is a wanted man in the United States, France, and Russia. According to reports, the Greek authorities have planned to extradite him to France, with the United States being the second choice and Russia being the last option. Hence, once all the proceedings are completed in France, Vinnik will be further extradited to the U.S. 

The opinion of the writer is their own and do not constitute financial advice in any way whatsoever.