Nomad Bridge Hack Suspect Nabbed at Airport, Faces Extradition to U.S.

Airdrop Is Live CaryptosHeadlines Media Has Launched Its Native Token CHT. Airdrop Is Live For Everyone, Claim Instant 5000 CHT Tokens Worth Of $50 USDT. Join the Airdrop at the official website, CryptosHeadlinesToken.com Alexander Gurevich, a dual Russian-Israeli citizen accused of playing a key role in the infamous $190 million Nomad Bridge hack, is now facing extradition to the United States following his dramatic arrest at Ben-Gurion Airport on May 1. The suspect was reportedly moments away from boarding a flight to Russia under a new identity—just days after legally changing his name to “Alexander Block” and obtaining a passport under the alias.Name Change and Last-Minute EscapeIsraeli authorities confirmed that Gurevich had returned from overseas on April 19 and was promptly ordered to appear for an extradition hearing at the Jerusalem District Court. But what followed was a flurry of suspicious activity: a name change registered on April 29, a passport issued on April 30, and an arrest at the airport on May 1.U.S. prosecutors had already indicted Gurevich in August 2023 on eight counts of computer-related crimes, including laundering stolen crypto assets, and submitted a formal extradition request to Israel late last year.According to U.S. authorities, Gurevich exploited a vulnerability in the Nomad cross-chain bridge in August 2022, siphoning off nearly $2.9 million worth of digital tokens. The exploit triggered a wave of copycat attacks, snowballing into one of the biggest bridge hacks of that year, with a final damage estimate of around $190 million.An Apology, a Negotiation—and Then SilenceBut what makes Gurevich’s case even more unusual is his alleged post-hack communication with Nomad chief technology officer, James Prestwich. Prosecutors claim that Gurevich—under a false identity—contacted Prestwich via Telegram, confessed to his actions, and apologized for what he called an “amateurish” attempt at exploitation. He even sent back approximately $162,000 to a recovery wallet set up by the company.In a surprising turn, Prestwich allegedly offered Gurevich a 10% bug bounty for the stolen funds. Gurevich, however, reportedly demanded $500,000 instead, then vanished from contact.Authorities now believe Gurevich was in Israel when the attack took place, strengthening the case that the cybercrime occurred under Israeli jurisdiction before escalating internationally. If extradited and convicted in the U.S., Gurevich could face up to 20 years in prison on money laundering charges alone—far exceeding the potential penalties under Israeli law.Source link