Alexander Vinnik's fate is in the hands of Nikos Paraskevopoulos, Greek Minister of Justice.
A Greek court has accepted an extradition request from Russia concerning a Russian national imprisoned in Thessaloniki, according to Associated Press. Sounds simple, but the Greeks had already agreed to extradite him to France - and he was originally arrested on a international warrant issued by the US.
The prisoner and the charges
The prisoner is a 38-year-old computer programmer called Alexander Vinnik. The charges relate to his connection to a $4 billion money laundering operation and a cryptocurrency exchange called BTC-e.
BTC-e was a cryptocurrency exchange, operational between July 2011 and July 2017. It offered trading in the dollar, rouble and euro against a selection of Cryptocurrencies. By February 2015 it was handling an estimated 3% of the world's Bitcoin exchange volume, and as of July 2017 the exchange had received over $4 billion worth of Bitcoin.
According to the indictment of the US Attorney of the District of California dated July 2017, BTC-e facilitated criminal transactions worldwide, and Vinnik personally profited from these via the multiple accounts that he held at the business. It also alleges that Vinnik was the primary owner of the exchange's managing shell company, Canton Business Corporation.
Don Fort of the IRS criminal investigation said: โMr. Vinnik is alleged to have committed and facilitated a wide range of crimes that go far beyond the lack of Regulation of the bitcoin exchange he operated. Through his actions, it is alleged that he stole identities, facilitated drug trafficking, and helped to launder criminal proceeds from syndicates around the world.โ
In addition to these charges, the authorities claim that he was complicit in the theft of 630,000 bitcoins from Japanese cryptocurrency exchange Mt Gox in 2013. Specifically, that approximately 300,000 BTC was channelled through accounts associated with Vinnik.
If he ends up in the US, he faces up to 55 years in prison and a fine of $12 million. BTC-e itself is being charged $110 million.
Wanted by France, the US and Russia
On the 14th of July 2018, extradition to France was approved by the court. France requested this because around 100 French citizens were allegedly defrauded by Vinnik, but the defendant's lawyer confirmed that this would be but a stepping stone on a journey further west.
In response to this, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticised Greek authorities, accusing them of complicating relations between Greece and Russia. It said that as a Russian, Vinnik should be extradited to that country. Interestingly, in May 2018, Russian media reported that a plot to murder Vinnik was uncovered in Greece. Sputnik quoted a source saying that some people were "extremely interested in him not coming to Russia."
On his part, Vinnik claims that he was only a technical consultant for BTC-e. He denies all allegations and told judges "that he was committed to fighting U.S. dominance of the global financial system," according to Associated Press.
A Greek court has accepted an extradition request from Russia concerning a Russian national imprisoned in Thessaloniki, according to Associated Press. Sounds simple, but the Greeks had already agreed to extradite him to France - and he was originally arrested on a international warrant issued by the US.
The prisoner and the charges
The prisoner is a 38-year-old computer programmer called Alexander Vinnik. The charges relate to his connection to a $4 billion money laundering operation and a cryptocurrency exchange called BTC-e.
BTC-e was a cryptocurrency exchange, operational between July 2011 and July 2017. It offered trading in the dollar, rouble and euro against a selection of Cryptocurrencies. By February 2015 it was handling an estimated 3% of the world's Bitcoin exchange volume, and as of July 2017 the exchange had received over $4 billion worth of Bitcoin.
According to the indictment of the US Attorney of the District of California dated July 2017, BTC-e facilitated criminal transactions worldwide, and Vinnik personally profited from these via the multiple accounts that he held at the business. It also alleges that Vinnik was the primary owner of the exchange's managing shell company, Canton Business Corporation.
Don Fort of the IRS criminal investigation said: โMr. Vinnik is alleged to have committed and facilitated a wide range of crimes that go far beyond the lack of Regulation of the bitcoin exchange he operated. Through his actions, it is alleged that he stole identities, facilitated drug trafficking, and helped to launder criminal proceeds from syndicates around the world.โ
In addition to these charges, the authorities claim that he was complicit in the theft of 630,000 bitcoins from Japanese cryptocurrency exchange Mt Gox in 2013. Specifically, that approximately 300,000 BTC was channelled through accounts associated with Vinnik.
If he ends up in the US, he faces up to 55 years in prison and a fine of $12 million. BTC-e itself is being charged $110 million.
Wanted by France, the US and Russia
On the 14th of July 2018, extradition to France was approved by the court. France requested this because around 100 French citizens were allegedly defrauded by Vinnik, but the defendant's lawyer confirmed that this would be but a stepping stone on a journey further west.
In response to this, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticised Greek authorities, accusing them of complicating relations between Greece and Russia. It said that as a Russian, Vinnik should be extradited to that country. Interestingly, in May 2018, Russian media reported that a plot to murder Vinnik was uncovered in Greece. Sputnik quoted a source saying that some people were "extremely interested in him not coming to Russia."
On his part, Vinnik claims that he was only a technical consultant for BTC-e. He denies all allegations and told judges "that he was committed to fighting U.S. dominance of the global financial system," according to Associated Press.
FM's Editor-in-Chief Yam Yehoshua on how the newsroom evaluates stories.
FM's Editor-in-Chief Yam Yehoshua on how the newsroom evaluates stories.
FM's Editor-in-Chief Yam Yehoshua on how the newsroom evaluates stories.
FM's Editor-in-Chief Yam Yehoshua on how the newsroom evaluates stories.
Matthew Smith, Group CEO at EC Markets, speaking at FMLS:24
Matthew Smith, Group CEO at EC Markets, speaking at FMLS:24
Matthew Smith, Group CEO at EC Markets, speaking at FMLS:24
Matthew Smith, Group CEO at EC Markets, speaking at FMLS:24
Finance Magnates Annual Awards 2024 | FM Awards 2024 Highlights
Finance Magnates Annual Awards 2024 | FM Awards 2024 Highlights
๐ฅCatch the best moments from the Finance Magnates Annual Awards Gala Dinner!
An evening where top names in finance came together to celebrate achievements, enjoy live music, and connect over a memorable dinner. Watch the highlights and feel the energy of our first gala in Cyprus!
Congratulations to all the winners for their dedication to excellence and leadership in the financial industry, including XM, Trading PRO, FP Markets, Deriv, FxPro, LATAM, Headway, ATFX, FBS, AMEGA, EC Markets, Axi
For more information about the 1st Finance Magnates Annual Awards, visit https://bit.ly/3Zb7wNz
#FinanceMagnatesGala #IndustryExcellence #GalaHighlights #FinanceMagnatesAnnualAwards #FinanceMagnatesAwards #CelebratingSuccess #FinanceCommunity
๐ฅCatch the best moments from the Finance Magnates Annual Awards Gala Dinner!
An evening where top names in finance came together to celebrate achievements, enjoy live music, and connect over a memorable dinner. Watch the highlights and feel the energy of our first gala in Cyprus!
Congratulations to all the winners for their dedication to excellence and leadership in the financial industry, including XM, Trading PRO, FP Markets, Deriv, FxPro, LATAM, Headway, ATFX, FBS, AMEGA, EC Markets, Axi
For more information about the 1st Finance Magnates Annual Awards, visit https://bit.ly/3Zb7wNz
#FinanceMagnatesGala #IndustryExcellence #GalaHighlights #FinanceMagnatesAnnualAwards #FinanceMagnatesAwards #CelebratingSuccess #FinanceCommunity
FMLS:24 | Shaping the Next Era of Financial Evolution
FMLS:24 | Shaping the Next Era of Financial Evolution
Welcome to FMLS:24 โ the premier event where influential brands and leaders in trading, payments, fintech, and digital assets come together!
Join over 2,500 industry professionals, engage with 150+ expert speakers, and discover endless opportunities with 70+ top exhibitors. FMLS:24 is where senior executives and decision-makers gather to close deals, forge new partnerships, and strengthen connections with long-term clients.
Whether youโre in finance, technology, or payments, this summit is your gateway to future growth, meaningful collaborations, and industry-leading insights.
๐ Don't miss out โ secure your ticket now at https://events.financemagnates.com/ZQEYy0?utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=fmls24-awareness&utm_medium=video&RefId=MLS%3A24+Video+Promo
#fmls #fmls24 #fmevents #financemagnates #forex #payments #crypto #events #london #fintech #ai #generativeai #technology #onlinetrading #forex #investing #investors #tech
๐ฃ Stay updated with the latest in finance and trading!
Follow FMevents across our social media platforms for news, insights, and event updates. Connect with us today:
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Don't miss out on our latest videos, interviews, and event coverage. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more!
Welcome to FMLS:24 โ the premier event where influential brands and leaders in trading, payments, fintech, and digital assets come together!
Join over 2,500 industry professionals, engage with 150+ expert speakers, and discover endless opportunities with 70+ top exhibitors. FMLS:24 is where senior executives and decision-makers gather to close deals, forge new partnerships, and strengthen connections with long-term clients.
Whether youโre in finance, technology, or payments, this summit is your gateway to future growth, meaningful collaborations, and industry-leading insights.
๐ Don't miss out โ secure your ticket now at https://events.financemagnates.com/ZQEYy0?utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=fmls24-awareness&utm_medium=video&RefId=MLS%3A24+Video+Promo
#fmls #fmls24 #fmevents #financemagnates #forex #payments #crypto #events #london #fintech #ai #generativeai #technology #onlinetrading #forex #investing #investors #tech
๐ฃ Stay updated with the latest in finance and trading!
Follow FMevents across our social media platforms for news, insights, and event updates. Connect with us today:
๐ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/financemagnates-events/
๐ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FinanceMagnatesEvents
๐ธ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fmevents_official
๐ฆ Twitter: https://twitter.com/F_M_events
๐ฅ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fmevents_official
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Don't miss out on our latest videos, interviews, and event coverage. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more!