US and South Korea request extradition of Terra co-founder Do Kwon

Authorities from some the United States and South Korea person made efforts to person Terra co-founder Do Kwon extradited to their respective countries pursuing his apprehension successful Montenegro.

At a March 29 property conference, Montenegro’s Justice Minister Marko Kovac said the United States made diplomatic efforts to inquire Kwon beryllium handed over, portion South Korean officials person requested extradition. Kovac made the announcement following Kwon’s arrest astatine Montenegro's Podgorica airdrome connected March 23, adding the Terra co-founder’s detainment had been extended to 30 days.

“When we person respective extradition requests it’s based connected respective factors — the severity of the offense, the determination and the time, and the bid that we received the petition and respective different factors,” said Kovac done an interpreter.

Kovac said decisions regarding extradition and custody of Kwon volition spell to Montenegro’s precocious court. According to the justness minister, the Terra co-founder utilized forged recognition documents portion successful Montenegro and whitethorn service clip successful the state related to those charges if convicted earlier immoderate extradition is granted.

Kwon’s whereabouts had mostly been chartless pursuing the illness of Terra successful May 2022, though helium was often progressive connected his Twitter relationship and said helium was making “zero effort to hide” successful September. In February, reports suggested that Kwon whitethorn person traveled to Serbia — the European state borders Montenegro to the northbound — aft Interpol issued a Red Notice for his provisional arrest.

A South Korean citizen, Kwon would apt look prosecution successful his location country, wherever Terraform Labs was headquartered and authorities person been targeting individuals progressive successful the collapse of the platform. At the clip of publication, the whereabouts of Terra co-founder Daniel Shin were unknown, but Kwon’s subordinate Han Chang-Joon was besides detained successful Montenegro.

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It’s unclear which country, if any, would beryllium the astir apt to beryllium granted extradition of Kwon. The concern echoes attempts by the United States to summation custody of erstwhile FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, who was successful the Bahamas astatine the clip of the exchange’s collapse.

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This is simply a processing story, and further accusation volition beryllium added arsenic it becomes available.