Kwon Doo is at risk of being extradited to South Korea as Montenegro rejects US plea
In a significant legal development, Montenegro has decided to extradite Terraform Labs co-founder Do Kwon to South Korea, rejecting a competing request from the United States. Kwon, who has been detained in Montenegro since March 2023 using a fake passport, is wanted in both countries for his role in the dramatic collapse of the Terra/LUNA ecosystem.
Appeals Court Ruling Favors Korea
On Thursday, Montenegro’s Court of Appeal upheld a previous ruling by the Podgorica High Court, ruling that Kwon should be prosecuted in South Korea. The ruling also nullifies a competing request from the United States for his extradition, which also sought his extradition to face charges related to the collapse. Earth/Moon An ecosystem catastrophe that wiped out $40 billion in market value in May 2022.
Background to the arrest and legal battle of the city council
Do Kwon has been detained in Montenegro since March 2023 after being arrested for attempting to travel to Dubai using a forged Costa Rican passport. He was arrested six months after Interpol issued a red notice in September 2022. Kwon was originally sentenced to four months in prison for using a forged document, but was remanded in custody until he was released on bail in March this year. The court confiscated his real passport to prevent him from fleeing the country.
Legal Litigation and International Tug-of-War
The decision to extradite Kwon to South Korea rather than the United States has been the subject of fierce legal debate. Kwon has succeeded in delaying his extradition to the United States through a series of legal maneuvers. An initial decision by the High Court of Podgorica to extradite him to South Korea was temporarily suspended by Montenegro’s Supreme Court after Montenegro’s top prosecutor argued that the court had exceeded its powers.
The final decision of the Montenegrin Minister of Justice is pending.
Despite the court’s ruling, the final decision on Kwon’s extradition rests with Montenegro’s Justice Minister. This final step in the process highlights the complexity and high stakes of this international legal case. The process was given another layer of excitement earlier this year when Bloomberg reported that Montenegro’s Prime Minister Milojko Szpaic was a private investor in Terraform Labs.
As of now, no date has been set for Kwon’s extradition to South Korea, leaving his extradition and subsequent trial schedule uncertain.
Also Read: Terra Hack: $5 Million Stolen Amid Terraform Labs’ Bankruptcy