French government have charged onetime operator of now-shuttered crypto exchange BTC-e and Russian national Alexander Vinnik.

Bloomberg reported on Jan. 28 that Vinnik'due south lawyers said that he will remain in France to face his charges following his recent extradition from Greece. According to an unspecified official at the prosecutor's office, Vinnik was charged with extortion, aggravated money laundering, conspiracy and harming automatic data-processing systems.

The legal shuttle

I of his lawyers said that after his trial in French republic has run its course, authorities are expected to transport him back to Greece so he tin can exist extradited to the United States. Afterward the U.S. prosecution is over, he would be finally sent to Russia. The French investigation is ongoing and no trial has been ordered. Ariane Zimra, a French lawyer for Vinnik said:

"There is no causal link betwixt what Alexander Vinnik is being accused of and Alexander Vinnik."

Vinnik is currently in a French hospital after going on a hunger strike for 40 days to protest his detention. Vinnik'due south lawyers also recently filed a complaint that alleges a violation of his rights on behalf of his children.

Zoi Konstantopoulou, ane of his lawyers, suggested that he is being persecuted because he is a blockchain genius and is seen as a threat to the banking system. He said:

"Alexander's offense is to exist Russian and a person with extraordinary technological knowledge that could liberate people economically. [...] The Greek Minister of Justice has in essence decided that this person is going to spend his life being extradited, judged and and so re-extradited, re-judged and withal again re-extradited and re-judged."

An overview of Vinnik'southward instance

Vinnik is believed to be involved in the hack of Bitcoin commutation Mt. Gox since the 300,000 BTC stolen there were allegedly not just laundered through BTC-eastward but were besides on his personal wallet. Given those suspicions, the Mt. Gox trustee contacted the U.S. Department of Justice and requested information well-nigh him.

Vinnik was first indicted by the U.S. in July 2022. A Greek Court afterward ruled for his extradition to Russia in September 2022. In July 2022, withal, local authorities ruled to extradite him to France, where he is now.

The thing of Vinnik's extradition is a major diplomatic ordeal with multiple countries trying to obtain his extradition. Russia, for case, filed multiple requests and asked for help from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in an try to bring him under its jurisdiction.