Former Monero developer Riccardo Spagni has been released from a U.S. prison where he reportedly spent “sixty-one days in solitary confinement.” The developer’s release was prompted by the failure of South African authorities “to make a timely submission in support of an extradition request.”
South African Government Fails to Submit Extradition Documents
Spagni was arrested in the U.S. while en route to Mexico. His arrest by U.S. law enforcement had been made courtesy of a request by the South African government, which wants to extradite Spagni.
However, after South African authorities failed to submit the necessary documents for the extradition hearing, the U.S. court subsequently ordered Spagni’s release. With Spagni now out of prison, his legal representatives, according to a report, are now seeking to access the documents that were used to make the arrest.
“Spagni now seeks information already in the possession of the [US] Government, namely South Africa’s submission for provisional arrest,” the legal representatives explained.
Once obtained, the lawyers said this information will be used to “make an informed decision about waiving extradition while out of custody and determine if South Africa’s provisional arrest request cites an arrest warrant within the treaty.”
Spagni Planning to Return to South Africa
Meanwhile, Spagni also confirmed via his Twitter account that he was out of jail and is now working with his attorneys to find a solution for the fraud case. Spagni said in a tweet:
I am very pleased that the U.S. court has released me. I am actively working with my attorneys on a way to return to South Africa as soon as possible so I can address this matter and get it behind me once and for all. That’s what I’ve always wanted to do.
Spagni’s legal troubles started after his former employer, Cape Cookies, accused him of defrauding the company of an equivalent of $98,200. This offense is alleged to have occurred between October 1, 2009 and June 8, 2011, when Spagni was an employee of Cape Cookies.
After some delay, Spagni’s court appearances were finally scheduled for March 24 and April 19, 2021. However, before the commencement of the hearing, Spagni left South Africa for Bermuda, where he briefly stayed before leaving for the U.S. According to a report, Spagni and his wife are believed to have entered the U.S. on April 19, the same day he was scheduled to appear in court in South Africa.
It is this failure to attend a scheduled court hearing that prompted the South African government to lodge an extradition request with U.S. law enforcement.