Israel Extradites Suspect to US Over $2.8M Crypto Hack

Federal Indictment and Extradition Request

Alexander Block, an Israeli-Russian national accused of exploiting a vulnerability successful the Nomad blockchain span to bargain $2.8 cardinal successful integer assets, has been extradited to the United States pursuing a failed ineligible situation successful Israel.

U.S. prosecutors impeach Block of exploiting a flaw successful Nomad’s automated strategy to retreat tokens without depositing the corresponding backing assets. He allegedly converted the stolen tokens into different cryptocurrencies and transferred them betwixt integer wallets to conceal their origin.

According to the Israeli Supreme Court’s ruling, U.S. authorities indicted Block successful the Northern District of California successful August 2023 connected 8 counts involving machine offenses, transferring stolen spot and wealth laundering. The U.S. formally requested his extradition successful December 2024.

Nomad operated arsenic a cross-chain bridge, allowing users to transportation integer assets betwixt antithetic blockchain networks. Under its mean operation, users locked assets connected 1 blockchain earlier receiving corresponding tokens connected another.

Block was arrested astatine Israel’s Ben-Gurion Airport successful May 2025 portion preparing to committee a formation to Russia. Before his arrest, helium had changed his surname from Gurevich to Block and obtained a passport nether his caller name.

Supreme Court Rejects Appeals

The Jerusalem District Court approved Block’s extradition successful July 2025, but helium appealed the decision, challenging some the ineligible ground of the charges and the sufficiency of the evidence. His defence argued that the transactions were executed done functions built into Nomad’s automated strategy and truthful did not represent unlawful machine intrusion nether Israeli law.

Block besides disputed the money laundering allegations, arguing that the nationalist visibility of blockchain transactions undermined claims that helium attempted to conceal the question of funds.

However, Israel’s Supreme Court rejected those arguments, ruling that exploiting a programming vulnerability could represent unlawful machine intrusion adjacent if the bundle technically allowed the transactions to proceed.

The tribunal besides determined that the transparent quality of blockchain transactions does not preclude wealth laundering. Although transfers are publically recorded, the identities of individuals controlling the wallets are not ever clear, allowing users to obscure the root oregon ownership of integer assets.

Following Block’s failed appeals, Israeli authorities coordinated his transportation to the U.S. aboriginal Oct. 29. The State Attorney’s Office said the extradition was carried retired done practice betwixt its International Department, the Israel Police’s operational coordination division, and Interpol units.