Italy plans to send ‘wanted’ Chinese hacker to US authorities, sources say
In a move signaling a tougher stance on cybercrime, Italian authorities are weighing the extradition of a male suspect linked to hacking campaigns accused by U.S. prosecutors of stealing COVID-19 research.
People familiar with the case say the government has decided to pursue extradition after a court earlier this month allowed the transfer, though a formal public announcement hasn’t been issued yet.
The detainee was arrested in Milan on a warrant issued by U.S. authorities. He is charged with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft tied to computer intrusions dated between February 2020 and June 2021.
Defense lawyers have argued that there could be mistaken identity involved and that their client may not be the person originally targeted by the charges.
According to U.S. prosecutors, the suspect participated in hacking and data theft aimed at critical COVID-19 research on vaccines, treatments, and testing, and the operation was reportedly conducted under directions linked to a state actor. The activities reportedly reached U.S. universities and research centers during 2020 and 2021.
In 2021, the same cyber-operations group is said to have carried out a broad espionage campaign affecting thousands of devices around the world, including in the United States.
While Italian officials prepare the extradition, the legal process still requires further steps before a transfer can be finalized. A government spokesperson declined to comment on the deliberations, and the defense said no formal notices had been received about the ongoing case.
