Security News > 2020 > August > French Trial Ordered for Alleged Russian Bitcoin Fraudster
A judge in Paris has ordered a French trial for Alexander Vinnik, a Russian suspected of money laundering on the bitcoin exchange BTC-e, also wanted by Washington and Moscow, his lawyer and other sources told AFP. Vinnik was extradited to France in January from Greece, where he had been arrested on an American warrant in 2017.
Vinnik allegedly operated the BTC-e exchange until his arrest at the northern Greek tourist resort of Halkidiki, which set off a three-way extradition tussle between the United States, France and Russia.
Vinnik has denied the charges and has sought an extradition to Russia, where he is wanted on lesser fraud charges involving just 9,500 euros.
A judge has ruled that Vinnik will stand trial in France for extortion, aggravated money laundering, criminal association, and fraudulently accessing and modifying data in data processing systems, a source close to the case told AFP. The victims, according to prosecutors, are individuals, local authorities and companies.
The US Treasury Department has already fined BTC-e $110 million for "Wilfully violating" anti-money laundering laws.