A South African regional court recently decided to release former Monero chief developer Riccardo Spagni from custody.
The ruling came just days after he was arrested by local law enforcement. Spagni was in US custody awaiting extradition to South Africa to answer fraud charges brought by the South African government.
In a tweet dated 21 September, the former developer and creator of Monero had reiterated his willingness to return to South Africa to answer the charges against him.
I am very pleased that the U.S. court has released me. I am actively working with my attorneys on a way to return to South Africa as soon as possible so I can address this matter and get it behind me once and for all. That’s what I’ve always wanted to do.
— Riccardo “el pony esponjoso” Spagni (@fluffypony) September 21, 2021
The facts about Riccardo Spagni
The charges relate to alleged legal fraud committed by Spagni in South Africa from 2009 to 2011. If the charges are confirmed, Spagni could face up to 20 years in prison.
In June 2021, Spagni was arrested by US authorities at the request of the South African government after South African authorities issued an international arrest warrant for as many as 378 counts of fraud and counterfeiting in his home country. He was then held a full 60 days in solitary confinement on contempt charges.
He was then released on 21 September pending extradition, which came a few days ago. Spagni, who participated in the development of the cryptocurrency Monero, allegedly defrauded for about $100,000.
Spagni was extradited to South Africa, where he has already appeared before a court last week. His trouble with the South African justice system dates back to 2012, when he was arrested in Cape Town. According to court sources, Spagni reportedly pleaded not guilty in court.
Spagni also reportedly reiterated that he was not responsible for his failure to appear at scheduled court hearings.
The former Monero developer confirmed that he initially opposed extradition on the grounds that the charges were unfounded and that he chose to return to South Africa “voluntarily under circumstances where my release on warning had not been canceled and the state had to cancel it”.
According to what are the latest rumors, Spagni is scheduled to return to court on 19 July.
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