Arrest of Alexander Gurevich
On May 1, Alexander Gurevich, a 47-year-old individual holding dual citizenship in Russia and Israel, was apprehended at Ben-Gurion Airport in Israel as he made an attempt to escape to Russia using an alias.
Involvement in Cyber Heist
Gurevich is implicated in the significant 2022 cyber heist targeting Nomad, a cryptocurrency platform based in the United States, leading to the loss of nearly $190 million in digital currency, as reported by The Jerusalem Post.
The allegations against Gurevich state that he manipulated a flaw within Nomad’s system to illicitly pocket approximately $2.89 million worth of tokens. Following the breach, he reached out to the company’s Chief Technology Officer under a false persona, where he:
- Claimed to apologize for the incident.
- Returned a small portion of the stolen assets.
- Made a curious request for a $500,000 reward for identifying the software vulnerability.
Notably, he ceased further communication once Nomad proposed a 10% share of the reclaimed assets.
Attempts to Evade Capture
In an attempt to conceal his identity, Gurevich legally changed his name to “Alexander Block” on April 29, just days before his arrest, and quickly acquired a new passport. His plans to leave the country were thwarted by Israeli law enforcement, and he was taken into custody before escaping.
Legal Proceedings
Gurevich’s legal troubles continue, as U.S. authorities have initiated an eight-count indictment against him, which encompasses charges of computer fraud and money laundering, filed in 2023. Should he be extradited and subsequently convicted in the United States, Gurevich faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a significantly harsher penalty compared to what he might face under Israeli law.
Since moving to Israel in 2017, it has been reported that Gurevich has spent extensive periods outside the country, including time in Africa. The extradition process is currently underway, with the State Attorney’s Office of Israel set to hold a hearing on the matter this Sunday.
