Court: Russian hacker can be extradited to US or Russia

A Czech court has ruled that a Russian man who faces charges of hacking computers at American companies can be extradited either to the United States or Russia.


Czech authorities arrested Yevgeniy Nikulin in Prague on Oct. 5 in cooperation with the FBI after Interpol issued an international warrant. He is accused of hacking computers and stealing information from LinkedIn, Dropbox and other companies.

Moscow also wants him extradited on a separate charge of internet theft in 2009. Russian officials had previously said they were working to prevent his extradition to the U.S.

Judge Jaroslav Pytloun ruled Tuesday that the extradition requests from both countries meet all the necessary legal conditions.

Nikulin immediately appealed his extradition to the United States.

Justice Minister Robert Pelikan will have the final say on where Nikulin goes.

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