Well-known Monero developer Riccardo Spagni has been released.
He announced it himself on Twitter saying he was very happy that the US court released 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.
— Ric “el pony esponjoso” (@fluffypony) September 21, 2021
He also said he is working with his lawyers to return to South Africa as soon as possible.
Summary
Spagni free after 61 days in solitary confinement
Spagni had been detained in early August, apparently for contempt of court over a misunderstanding regarding the setting of court dates in an old case that has been going on since 2011.
https://twitter.com/Spatzipantz/status/1422304460278276096
He spent 61 days in solitary confinement, and was awaiting extradition, but has now been released and is free in the US.
Spagni is due to stand trial in South Africa over a matter dating back a few years concerning alleged fraud.
The reason why he has been detained in the US may also be related to the fact that the court found that he is in possession of substantial cryptocurrency assets that could allow him to escape.
The court had him arrested at the request of the South African government, which is seeking his provisional arrest to stand trial.
Why Monero dev Riccardo Spagni was detained
The case he is involved in concerns his former employment as an IT manager for a company, and the suspicion that he used false information to issue false invoices by inflating prices and replacing the supplier’s bank details with his own.
The problem does not concern Monero at all, nor his work in the crypto sector.
The release is apparently due to the fact that the South African authorities did not submit the necessary documents for the extradition request, so the US court was forced to release him.
It is unclear why the South African authorities first requested his arrest internationally, but then did not request his extradition. Nonetheless, it seems that Spagni intends to return to the country to face trial, and could do so as a free man.
