After a prolonged legal battle, it seems that Do Kwon, the co-founder and former CEO of Terraform Labs, may finally be extradited to South Korea. This decision comes after a series of back-and-forths regarding his extradition, with the Appellate Court of Montenegro ultimately confirming the previous ruling to hand him over to his native country.
Terraform Labs’ Chief Executive Officer, who was arrested alongside Kwon in Montenegro in March 2023, was initially facing extradition to the US. However, the Appellate Court intervened and upheld the decision to extradite Kwon to South Korea. Despite several successful appeals to prevent his extradition to either South Korea or the United States, the recent ruling seems to have sealed Kwon’s fate.
While it was initially believed that Kwon would be deported to the United States, the Appellate Court overturned this decision citing criminal procedural violations. As of now, it is unclear when the extradition will take place, but South Korea’s Police have reportedly sought the assistance of Interpol to bring Kwon back to the country. The Court of Appeals stated that South Korea’s extradition request took precedence over the US’s, a factor that influenced the decision.
Despite the Court’s decision, US prosecutors are pushing back against Kwon’s extradition to South Korea. They have levied charges against him relating to the collapse of TerraUSD (UST) stablecoin and the LUNA token. Kwon, who was also convicted of carrying a fake passport, faces further legal battles as he awaits his eventual extradition to South Korea.
The case of Do Kwon’s extradition showcases the complexities of international legal procedures and the diplomatic challenges that arise in such situations. While the Appellate Court of Montenegro has ruled in favor of extraditing Kwon to South Korea, the legal battle is far from over as US prosecutors continue to seek his deportation. Only time will tell how this intricate legal saga unfolds in the coming days.
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