Israel Detains Suspected Crypto Hacker Amid U.S. Extradition Request
Bat Yam resident, wanted for involvement in major 2022 breach, arrested while attempting to escape to Russia
By: Yoav Etiel
May 4, 2025
BEN-GURION AIRPORT, ISRAEL — Israeli authorities have arrested Alexander Gurevich, a dual Russian-Israeli citizen from Bat Yam, who is wanted by U.S. law enforcement for his alleged role in a significant cryptocurrency hack linked to the potential collapse of a California blockchain firm. Gurevich was apprehended last Thursday at Ben-Gurion Airport while reportedly attempting to flee Israel with a newly acquired passport that bore a different name.
The 47-year-old Gurevich is charged in the United States with computer crimes, money laundering, and the unlawful transfer of stolen property. His arrest marks the first time the identity of the principal suspect in the high-profile case has been revealed.
Details of the Allegations
According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s extradition request, Gurevich is implicated in a significant breach that occurred on August 1, 2022. The targeted firm, Nomad, suffered losses of nearly $190 million due to the exploit of a vulnerability in its blockchain system. Gurevich allegedly managed to withdraw approximately $2.89 million in digital tokens, a large portion of which was later drained by other assailants once the exploitable weakness was discovered.
Profiling the timeline, Gurevich—who immigrated to Israel about three years ago—had returned to the country shortly before the breach. Investigators allege that after the hack, he communicated with Nomad’s Chief Technology Officer, James Prestwich, via Telegram, where he confessed to probing for weaknesses in their system and requested a $500,000 reward for reporting the vulnerability he had identified. Gurevich even transferred $162,000 into a designated recovery wallet as part of his apology.
Despite initial communications with Nomad, contact quickly ceased, and in August 2023, federal authorities filed an eight-count indictment against him in the Northern District of California, subsequently issuing an arrest warrant. The formal extradition request was made by the U.S. in December 2024. Arrest and Extradition Hearing
Gurevich’s efforts to evade arrest were thwarted when he attempted to enter Ben-Gurion Airport with a legitimate passport under the name "Alexander Block." Just days prior, he re-registered his name with the Israeli Population Registry in an apparent attempt to escape entanglement with the authorities.
Upon his arrest on May 1, just before boarding a flight to Russia, he was presented in court in handcuffs. Following this event, the International Department of Israel’s State Attorney’s Office submitted a petition to the Jerusalem District Court seeking to classify Gurevich as extraditable to the United States.
If extradited, Gurevich faces much harsher sentences in the U.S. compared to what would be applicable under Israeli law. Charges related to the computer offenses could result in up to three years in Israel, while the U.S. charges include money laundering that could carry a 20-year maximum prison sentence.
Legal Implications and Next Steps
Judge Einat Avman-Moller ordered Gurevich to remain in custody pending further proceedings. His defense is represented by Israel’s Public Defender’s Office, and a hearing has been scheduled for Sunday, where the process regarding extradition to the United States will be further deliberated.
The arrest of Gurevich highlights ongoing international efforts to tackle cybercrime, particularly within the rapidly evolving realm of cryptocurrency, where the stakes are increasingly high and the consequences of breaches significantly impactful.
As investigations continue, updates on Gurevich’s case will be closely monitored, particularly by the U.S. authorities as they prepare for a potential trial linked to one of the industry’s most notorious cyberattacks.
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