The accomplice of the “crypto queen”, accused by the US authorities of fraud with OneCoin, faces a trial in the United States.
British District Judge Nicholas Rimmer (Nicholas Rimmer) rejected a request to delay the extradition and stop the trial of the case of Christopher Hamilton (Christopher Hamilton).
“Wherever the victims are, it is in their interest that the perpetrators be held accountable. This factor speaks in favor of extradition,” the judge ruled.
The Hamilton case will now be heard by Secretary of State Priti Patel, after which the defendant will be able to appeal the judgment. The American authorities accused the Briton of money laundering and fraud using cryptocurrencies. Hamilton asked the court to leave the proceedings in the jurisdiction of the UK, since the offense was committed outside the United States.
Another accomplice in the fraudulent scheme, Robert McDonald, has avoided extradition under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which includes the right to respect for private and family life. McDonald cares for his wife, who suffers from advanced multiple sclerosis, and according to a written statement by the judge, separation from his wife would be “extremely severe in light of her failing health.”
The OneCoin crypto pyramid, which is suspected to be led by international fugitive Ruja Ignatova, had up to 3 million customers at its peak. According to experts, the Ponzi scheme brought the fraudsters about $ 4 billion. After her disappearance, Ignatova is on the Europol list among the most wanted Europeans. The FBI claims OneCoin is the biggest scam in the history of cryptocurrencies.
Source: Bits
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