Michaela
Alexander Gurevich, an alleged crypto thief involved in the Nomad hack, has been arrested at Ben-Gurion Airport while allegedly attempting to flee to Russia using a new name and passport.
According to The Jerusalem Post, the dual Russian-Israeli citizen was arrested on Thursday while attempting to flee Israel. Following the arrest, the State Attorneyβs Office International Department submitted a petition to the Jerusalem District Court seeking to have Gurevich declared extraditable to the United States.
Gurevich is wanted by U.S. authorities for his alleged role in computer crimes, money laundering, and the transfer of stolen property related to a significant 2022 cybersecurity breach. The attack targeted U.S.-based blΠΎckchain firm Nomad, contributing to its near-collapse.
The arrest has identified Gurevich as the primary suspect in the case for the first time. A U.S. extradition request revealed that Gurevich allegedly sought a $500,000 reward after the theft of digital tokens from a cryptocurrency wallet.
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Justice Minister Yariv Levin issued an order requiring Gurevich to appear before the Jerusalem District Court for an extradition hearing following his return to Israel on April 19. Subsequent reports indicated that Gurevich began making arrangements to flee the country using a false identity.
Gurevich allegedly changed his name to “Alexander Block” in Israelβs Population Registry on April 29. ThΠ΅ following day, he obtained a passport under this new identity at the Population and Immigration Authority counter at Ben-Gurion Airport. Gurevich was arrΠ΅sted on May 1, just before boarding a flight to Russia, and appeared in court in handcuffs the following day.
The hack, which occurred in August 2022, exploited vulnerabilities in the smart contract of the Nomad blockchain bridge, and led to the theft of nearly $190 million in digital assets. Gurevich, allegedly the first to exploit the flaw, reportedly withdrew around $2.89 million before others followed suit. If convicted, Gurevich could face significant prison time, potentially up to 20 years.
According to the report, in Israel, the maximum sentence for each of the four computer-related offenses is three years. However, if Gurevich is extradited to the United States, he will not be eligible to serve any potential sentence in Israel, as he was not a resident of the country at the time the crimes were committed.
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The Nomad hack remains one of the most high-profile incidents in the decentralized finance sector, drawing attention to the vulnerabilities in cross-chain bridge technologies and sΡarking broader discussions on the security of digital assets.
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MICHAELA
Michaela is a news writer focused on cryptocurrency and blockchain topics. She prioritizes rigorous research and accuracy to uncover interesting angles and ensure engaging reporting. A lifelong book lover, she applies her passion for reading to deeply explore the constantly evolving crypto world.
