Italy Approves Extradition of Suspected Chinese Hacker to US
Italy has decided to extradite a Chinese national, Xu Zewei, to the United States over allegations of cybercrime, according to a source familiar with the matter. The decision follows a recent Italian court ruling that cleared the way for extradition. Xu was arrested in Milan last year at the request of US authorities, who accuse him of involvement in hacking activities.
US prosecutors allege that Xu engaged in cyber espionage between 2020 and 2021, including attempts to steal sensitive COVID-19 research. The US Justice Department claims he targeted universities, immunologists, and virologists working on vaccines, treatments, and testing during the pandemic. Xu’s lawyer has argued that he is a victim of mistaken identity and stated that no official communication on the extradition has yet been received.
Authorities also link Xu to the hacking group “Hafnium,” which allegedly infiltrated thousands of computer systems globally in 2021. The case underscores growing international cooperation on cybercrime enforcement, as well as rising concerns over cyber espionage targeting critical scientific research.
Pic courtesy: google/ images are subject to copyright