Israel to Extradite Crypto Businessman Alexander Block to US

Israeli Minister of Justice Yariv Levin has signed an order for the extradition of Russian-Israeli businessman Alexander Block, also known as Gurevich, to the United States. The decision comes after Block's appeals against extradition were rejected by all relevant authorities. Block is accused by U.S. authorities of stealing $2.89 million from clients of the company Nomad. Prosecutors allege that Block exploited a vulnerability in a platform facilitating cross-blockchain transactions, siphoning off over $2.8 million in cryptocurrency. Subsequently, other individuals exploited the same vulnerability, leading to a total theft of approximately $190 million from the platform. The U.S. has charged Block with eight offenses, including fraud, computer crimes, dealing in stolen property, and money laundering. According to case details, after taking the bitcoins, Block, under a pseudonym, contacted Nomad's technical director. He returned a small portion of the stolen funds ($162,000) and attempted a "white hat" scheme, demanding a $500,000 reward from Nomad for discovering the vulnerability. He promised to reveal the bug's details and refrain from further action, but Nomad refused the deal. Block then disappeared with the majority of the stolen funds. Block holds citizenship in Russia, Israel, and Germany. His family resides in Russia and Israel, though he reportedly spent little time in Israel after his recent immigration, claiming to have lived on his yacht off the coast of Africa. He changed his surname from Gurevich to Block prior to obtaining his Israeli passport. Block was arrested at Ben Gurion Airport in the spring of 2025, following requests from the FBI and Interpol, as he was attempting to fly to Moscow. The Jerusalem District Court ruled him eligible for extradition in July 2025, but his legal team contested the decision. Final formalities are now pending before Block can be transferred to U.S. custody.