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Ellen Milligan
The U.S. lost its bid to extradite a British man over allegations he helped hijack an American citizen’s identity to steal $8.5 million in crypto assets while he was a teenager.
Corey De Rose’s extradition would be “unjust and, or, oppressive” and “disproportionate in relation to the human rights act,” a London judge ruled on Monday. De Rose’s lawyers had argued against his extradition on mental health grounds.
Rose, 22-years-old, is accused of helping hack into a U.S. citizen’s crypto wallet and transferring the digital currency to him and his alleged co-conspirators in 2017. He received 108.18 Bitcoins, valued at around $300,000 at the time, lawyers for the U.S. said during last year’s extradition trial.
They alleged he was part of a wider team of hackers called “The Community” which is said to have hijacked U.S. identities to steal over $50 million in cryptocurrencies between 2017 and 2018. The U.S. hasn’t yet said if it will appeal the ruling.
Read More: U.S. Pursues Young Briton Over $8.5 Million Bitcoin Plunder
“The judgment shows the U.K. court is willing and able to protect the rights of vulnerable individuals in the U.K. when their extradition is sought to the U.S.,” Richard Cannon, De Rose’s lawyer at Stokoe Partnership, said after the ruling.
The U.K.’s Crown Prosecution Service didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
“The fact is that this is a very vulnerable young man who has significant mental health issues and he strongly relies on his family for support,” Judge Sarah-Jane Griffiths said in her ruling.
De Rose faced a maximum prison sentence of 31 years in the U.S. and if convicted would likely have received “a significant custodial sentence,” she said.
