BTC-e’s Alexander Vinnik will be a hostage in the U.S., his lawyer in Greece warns.
If extradited to the United States, crypto exchange BTC-e’s alleged operator Alexander Vinnik will become a “hostage” due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, according to his Greek lawyer. France is likely to send the Russian back to Greece soon and Zoe Konstantopoulou is trying to prevent his subsequent transfer to U.S. custody.A French court is expected to approve next week the return of convicted money launderer Alexander Vinnik to Greece.
Vinnik was apprehended in Thessaloniki, where he arrived on vacation with his family, on a warrant from the U.S., where he is also accused of laundering at least $4 billion through the infamous BTC-e exchange, including money from the hack ofBefore sending him to France, Greece approved his extradition to the U.S. with a decision of the then justice minister Kostas Tsiaras. Vinnik’s defense team now fears that soon after he is returned to the country, he will be transferred to the United States.
His Greek lawyer, former parliamentary speaker Zoe Konstantopoulou, has been trying to prevent this development. In the U.S., the 43-year-old Russian IT specialist will effectively become a “hostage” of the geopolitical clash around the Russian invasion of Ukraine, she warned. Konstantopoulou also opposes the extradition to the U.S. on humanitarian grounds, the leading Greek daily Kathimerini revealed in a recently published report. Vinnik’s wife died in 2020 and they have two sons, now aged 8 and 11, who are growing up without parents.a request to get the Russian directly from France. However, according to his French lawyer Frederic Belot, this is merely a “deceitful maneuver,” meant to actually speed up his extradition through Greece, where the U.S.
Authorities in Moscow also formally asked both Greece and France to hand over Alexander Vinnik to Russia where he is accused of other crimes. The jailed crypto entrepreneur has on previous occasions expressed his will to return to his home country and face justice there.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Russia announces intent to leave International Space Station after 2024Russia intends to withdraw from the International Space Station project after 2024, bringing an end to two decades of space cooperation between the United States and Russia amid the war in Ukraine.
Read more »
US ambassador to UN says Russia hopes to 'dissolve' Ukraine from world mapLinda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. ambassador to the UN told the United Nations Security Council that Russia aims to 'dissolve' Ukraine 'from the world map entirely.'
Read more »
US Envoy: Russia Intends to Dissolve Ukraine From World MapThe U.S. ambassador to the United Nations says there should no longer be any doubt that Russia intends to dismantle Ukraine “and dissolve it from the world map entirely.”
Read more »
US envoy: Russia intends to dissolve Ukraine from world mapThe U.S. ambassador to the United Nations said Friday there should no longer be any doubt that Russia intends to dismantle Ukraine “and dissolve it from the world map entirely.”
Read more »
Ukraine could start exporting grain again for first time since war with RussiaWar-torn Ukraine could launch its first grain-exporting ships as soon as this week after Turkey brokered a deal in hopes to alleviate both grain shortages and spiking prices.
Read more »
U.S. admits 100,000 Ukrainians in 5 months, fulfilling Biden pledgeSince Russia invaded Ukraine in late February, Ukrainians have arrived in the U.S. on visas, under a private sponsorship program and even through the U.S.-Mexico border.
Read more »