After spending 30 months in detention, Greek authorities have lastly extradited the Russian nationwide and alleged Bitcoin (BTC) cash launderer Al
After spending 30 months in detention, Greek authorities have lastly extradited the Russian nationwide and alleged Bitcoin (BTC) cash launderer Alexander Vinnik to France. Prosecutors in France are charging Vinnik, operator of the defunct BTC-e crypto change, with a number of counts of cash laundering, extortion and conspiracy.
Vinnik additionally has pending extradition requests from each Russia and america. The alleged Bitcoin legal has beforehand said his desire for extradition to his native homeland, which Greek officers have turned down.
Thus, after the conclusion of his trial in France, Vinnik will return to Greece to face one other extradition to the U.S. The U.S. State Division reportedly desires to question Vinnik in reference to the Mt. Gox hack and subsequent theft of 300,000 BTC allegedly traced to Vinnik’s private crypto pockets. Stories additionally recommend that Russian state brokers funneled cash by means of BTC-e to fund interference within the U.S. 2016 presidential elections.
Amid the three-way diplomatic tussle, Vinnik’s authorized workforce stated that its shopper has been subjected to gross human rights abuses. Vinnik’s legal professionals have additionally accused prosecutors of working to maintain their shopper in detention with out costs or a trial whereas stopping him from having any contact with members of his household.
Vinnik’s protection legal professionals additionally allude to the prosecution being sponsored by political and enterprise pursuits primarily based on their shopper’s involvement in crypto and blockchain expertise. The previous BTC-e chief is one of some crypto personalities to have run-ins with the regulation, very like Silk Street creator Ross Ulbricht, who’s presently serving a double life sentence for working a darknet drug market.
Alleged human rights abuses amid Vinnik’s two-year detention
In a telephone name with Cointelegraph, Zoe Konstantopoulou, certainly one of Vinnik’s legal professionals, leveled allegations of human rights abuses in opposition to the Greek authorities. Commenting on the size of those infringements, Konstantopoulou revealed:
“Alexander has been topic to arbitrary detention for 30 months, which is prohibited by the Greek structure. Throughout this era, he has been made to endure merciless and inhuman remedy from the authorities.”
In accordance with Konstantopoulou, Vinnik is being held with out trial or costs and within the absence of any court docket orders. Konstantopoulou has additionally claimed that the case in opposition to Vinnik has some political undertones with vested pursuits in Greece, France and the U.S. seeking to punish the previous BTC-e operator.
When requested in regards to the impact of those alleged maltreatments on Vinnik’s well being, Konstantopoulou revealed that the health status of the Russian nationwide continues to deteriorate. “Alexander is presently on the 44th day of his starvation strike in protest of the gross human rights violations suffered by the hands of the authorities in Greece,” she revealed throughout a name with Cointelegraph.
Other than the alleged maltreatment, Vinnik’s lawyer additionally revealed that Greek regulation enforcement was stopping any contact between the previous BTC-e operator and his household. In accordance with Konstantopoulou:
“Greek regulation enforcement isn’t permitting Alexander to see his household, even his spouse who has been recognized with mind most cancers.”
In a personal word to Cointelegraph on the Vinnik case, Yusaku Senga, CEO of cross-blockchain swap platform Swingby, stated crypto personalities accused of wrongdoing normally endure harsher punishments than their counterparts in mainstream finance. In accordance with Senga:
“If we have a look at the prosecution of Charlie Shrem and evaluate it degree of prosecution introduced in opposition to Goldman Sachs and its senior administrators for his or her involvement within the big scale of cash laundering and embezzlement within the 1MDB scandal in Malaysia, it’s exhausting to not argue that crypto advocates and entrepreneurs are being far more harshly persecuted.”
Like Vinnik, Charlie Shrem was additionally related to one other crypto change, BitInstant. U.S. authorities arrested Shrem in 2014, charged him with cash laundering and sentenced him to 2 years in jail.
Timeline of Vinnik’s prosecution
In July 2017, Greek police arrested Vinnik whereas on trip along with his household within the vacationer village of Ouranoupoli. Thus started the over two-year authorized battle that has saved the Russian nationwide behind bars whereas three completely different nations jostle for Vinnik’s extradition so he can face legal costs.
Shortly after his arrest, the U.S. filed an extradition request and appeared to be successful in pushing for Vinnik’s switch stateside. By September, officers in Moscow additionally requested Vinnik’s extradition to Russia.
By 2018, France entered the fray, turning the case right into a diplomatic three-way tussle. Greek police additionally revealed an assassination plot with suspected Russian criminals reportedly intent on stopping Vinnik’s return to the nation.
In mid-December 2019, Greek judicial authorities lastly moved to extradite Vinnik to France to await trial. On the…