Alexander Vinnik, the alleged proprietor and operator of the notorious cryptocurrency alternate BTC-e, has been discovered not eligible for launch on bail in the USA, the place he was lately transferred from Greece. The Russian, accused of large-scale cash laundering by the now-defunct buying and selling platform, and different crimes, rejects U.S. costs.
Alexander Vinnik Stays in California Jail, Russian Embassy Provides Assist
Authorities in the USA have successfully denied launch on bail for the IT specialist Alexander Vinnik, Russian media reported, quoting his file on the web site of the Santa Rita Jail in California the place he’s incarcerated. Vinnik has been within the U.S. since his hasty extradition from Greece slightly greater than per week in the past, which angered his worldwide protection staff.
The crypto entrepreneur was arrested on a U.S. warrant in the summertime of 2017, within the Greek metropolis of Thessaloniki the place he arrived on a household trip. Greece first despatched him to France in late 2019, the place he served a five-year sentence for cash laundering. In July, U.S. authorities withdrew a request to get him from France, thus dashing up his switch by Greece, which had already permitted his extradition to the USA.
His attorneys protested in opposition to the choice to shortly hand him over to American authorities, declaring that he had utilized for asylum in Greece after beforehand warning that within the U.S. Vinnik is more likely to turn out to be a “hostage” of the geopolitical conflict surrounding the continuing army battle in NATO-supported Ukraine, which was invaded by Russian forces in February.
The data offered by the jail’s on-line inmate locator doesn’t point out whether or not the bail choice was made on the listening to on Friday, Aug. 5, when Vinnik appeared in a federal court docket in San Francisco, or if the decide has not but thought of the matter. A standing test returns the quick message “Can’t be launched on bail (NO BAIL).”
Russian Pleads ‘Not Responsible’ to Crimes Alleged by US Prosecutors
Throughout the first listening to, Alexander Vinnik declared his innocence and pleaded not responsible, in line with a report by the Tass information company, quoting a spokesperson for the court docket. The subsequent listening to has been scheduled for Aug. 15.
In keeping with the indictment, quoted by the U.S. Division of Justice (DOJ) in final week’s announcement of his extradition, BTC-e processed transactions from a variety of crimes, such because the Mt Gox hack, ransomware scams, and drug commerce. The Russian is now going through a number of counts of cash laundering for greater than $4 billion, amongst different costs.
In one other report this week, Tass revealed that the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Washington was nonetheless searching for contact with Vinnik over the cellphone. Nadezhda Shumova, who heads the mission’s Consular Division has been quoted as stating that Russian diplomats intend to offer all of the wanted consular and authorized help to their compatriot.
Each Greece and France have ignored extradition requests filed by Russia, the place he’s accused of embezzlement of over 600,000 rubles (lower than $10,000 at present alternate charges) and “fraud within the area of pc data” for 750 million rubles ($12 million). Vinnik himself has previously expressed his will to return to his homeland and face justice there. That appears unlikely, nonetheless. An accusation not talked about by the DOJ is that he collaborated with Russian intelligence.
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Picture Credit: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wiki Commons, Russian Embassy in Greece
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