Success in Extradition Proceedings | U.S. Extradition Defence Solicitors
A team from Kangs Solicitors, led by Senior Partner Hamraj Kang and Partner Helen Holder has successfully defended a client in extradition proceedings brought by the Government of the United States (U.S.).
Kangs Solicitors acts on behalf of clients in relation to extradition proceedings to all countries with particular expertise in proceedings involving the U.S., Russia, CIS countries, India, Pakistan, the Caribbean, South America and the Far East.
The Extradition Proceedings Case in Focus
The U.S.’s Government’s request to extradite our client, Robert Macdonald, was refused by District Judge Rimmer at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 30 August 2022.
The 104-pages Judgment came after a contested hearing had taken place over a number of days in June 2022 when both sides presented robust arguments and expert witness testimonies in support of their respective cases.
Our client faced extradition to the U.S. to face money laundering and wire fraud charges arising from the global OneCoin cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme scam. The U.S. Government alleged that our client, along with a co-accused, was responsible for laundering over $100 million which was linked to the overall $4 billion OneCoin fraud.
The OneCoin fraud has attracted worldwide media attention as it is alleged to have been perpetrated by a Bulgarian national, Ruja Ignatova also known as the ‘Crypto Queen’, who has not been seen since 2017.
District Judge Rimmer ruled that extraditing our client would be an infringement of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights and therefore refused the U.S. Government’s request for extradition.
The U.S. Government now has 14 days in which to decide whether to appeal this decision to the High Court.
In the same ruling, District Judge Rimmer ordered that our client’s co-accused should be extradited to the U.S.
Comment From Our Client
Naturally, our client was delighted with the Judgment delivered by District Judge Rimmer at Westminster Magistrates’ Court and commented as follows:
‘The decision is a monumental relief for me and my family. To say that things have been fraught over the last few years as a result of this extradition request hanging over my head is an understatement. My wife’s health and our family life have suffered to such an extent that they are totally unrecognisable from a few years ago.
At the outset, I chose to engage two very experienced partners at Kangs Solicitors, Hamraj Kang and Helen Holder, to fight my corner. I cannot thank them and Helen Malcolm QC enough for the immense effort they put into my case to secure this result.
I am very grateful to the Judge for taking such care to consider the vast amount of material, including expert evidence in numerous different fields, that was placed before him. I thank him for the compassion he has shown and for delivering a just result.’
Hamraj Kang, Senior Partner at Kangs Solicitors commented:
‘Clearly our client Robert Macdonald is delighted and relieved with the result.
This was a hard fought case against the Government of the United States and there was never any scope for compromise on either side due to the seriousness of the allegations and the value of the alleged fraud. Our client remained resolute in his determination to resist the extradition request.
The defence team, led by two partners at Kangs Solicitors (Hamraj Kang and Helen Holder) and Helen Malcolm QC, worked tirelessly to achieve this result. We are extremely pleased for our client and hope that this will now bring matters to a conclusion for him and his family’.
How Can We Help?
Extradition proceedings are extremely complicated and technical and the experienced team at Kangs Solicitors can handle the most complex cases.
We appreciate the stress and pressure such proceedings can bring for individuals. Our team provides advice, experience and in-depth knowledge on how to handle such proceedings and works towards securing favourable outcomes for our clients.
We are an approachable team priding ourselves on fighting hard for our clients and winning cases. If we can be of assistance, please contact us using the details below:
Tel: 0333 370 4333
Email: info@kangssolicitors.co.uk
We provide initial no obligation discussion at our three offices in London, Birmingham, and Manchester. Alternatively, discussions can be held through video conferencing or telephone.
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