Alexander Vinnik, a Bitcoin BTC-e operator, has been extradited to the US. Vinnik is now dealing with a number of costs, together with cash laundering, whereas engaged on the trade that has since been shut down.
Alexander Vinnik extradited to the US
Vinnik has confronted a number of authorized battles following his work on the defunct BTC-e cryptocurrency trade. The trade reportedly made income from involvement in a number of unlawful actions the place the platform was used to launder round $four billion value of Bitcoin.
Over the previous 5 years, Vinnik has been beneath scrutiny for his alleged position in masterminding the operations of BTC-e. The trade is linked to a variety of unlawful actions, all associated to cash laundering.
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The lawyer representing Vinnik on this case, Frederic Belot, appeared in an interview with CNN the place he stated Vinnik was being transferred from Greece to the US. Within the US, he’ll face a number of costs on the Northern District Courtroom of California.
Vinnik, a Russian nationwide, is dealing with a number of cash laundering costs and working a cash service unlicensed within the US. He may even reply a number of different costs.
Earlier than his extradition to the US, Vinnik was already serving a five-year sentence in France. The sentence commenced in December 2020. On the time, he was convicted for cash laundering and his involvement in an organized crime group.
Vinnik legal professionals had already tried to attraction his sentence, however this was unsuccessful. Of their attraction, the legal professionals stated that Vinnik was simply an worker of the BTC-e trade and was not concerned within the illicit actions of the platform.
Vinnik’s extradition
Vinnik was arrested in Greece in 2017 whereas on vacation within the nation. After the arrest, a number of nations akin to France, the US, and Russia sought his extradition.
In early 2020, the Greece Council of State determined to extradite Vinnik to France. Nonetheless, Russia had many requests to have Vinnik extradited to the nation on the time. On his half, Vinnik had agreed to an extradition request from Russia as a result of he confronted much less extreme costs within the jurisdiction.
However, Vinnik’s costs in California are fairly hefty. Based on the Division of Justice, he faces as much as 55 years in a US jail on costs of working an unlicensed cash service enterprise, cash laundering and different associated crimes.
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