Russian Bitcoin Theft Suspect Sued for $100 Million by U.S.
- Prosecutors aim to extradite Alexander Vinnik from Greece
- BTC-e allegedly facilitated Russian hacker transactions
Alexander Vinnik arrives at court in Thessaloniki, Greece on Oct. 4, 2017.
Photographer: Sakis Mitrolidis/AFP via Getty Images
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Digital currency exchange BTC-e and one of its owners, a Russian whose extradition the U.S. is seeking from Greece to face criminal charges, now face a civil lawsuit in California.
The U.S. is attempting to recover penalties of $100 million from the company and Alexander Vinnik for alleged violations of the Bank Secrecy Act. Federal prosecutors in San Francisco charged Vinnik in 2017 with stealing Bitcoins from other virtual exchanges. One legal expert speculated the U.S. is adding a civil suit to get at assets the criminal complaint can’t reach -- and to grab assets before they’re gone.