Israel Extradites Alexander Blok to US Over $2.8 Million Crypto Exploit
Dual Israeli-Russian national Alexander Blok has been extradited from Israel to the United States to face charges over a 2022 cryptocurrency exploit involving Nomad that yielded $2.8 million. The extradition follows landmark rulings by Israel's Supreme Court on cybercrime and money laundering.
Alexander Blok, also known as Gurevich, has been extradited from Israel to the United States to face federal charges of wire fraud, computer intrusions, transporting stolen property, and money laundering. The extradition followed the conclusion of all legal proceedings in Israel and was carried out in cooperation with the International Department of the State Attorney's Office, the Operations Coordination Division, and the Interpol unit of the Israel Police.
According to court documents, Blok holds dual Israeli and Russian citizenship and was arrested at Ben Gurion International Airport in May 2025 while attempting to board a flight to Russia.
Crypto Exploit and Laundering Scheme
US authorities requested Blok's extradition in connection with a cyber heist in July 2022, when he allegedly targeted Nomad, a cryptocurrency bridge protocol used to transfer tokens across different blockchain networks by locking assets against the issuance of wrapped tokens.
Investigators allege that Blok manipulated the computer code that verifies token lockups, enabling the system to issue digital assets without requiring any actual collateral deposit. After confirming that the exploit went undetected by the protocol, he allegedly drained approximately $2.8 million in various tokens from Nomad wallets on August 1, 2022. He then reportedly converted the stolen assets into different cryptocurrencies and transferred them across multiple digital wallets to obscure their illicit origin.
Landmark Legal Precedents
During the extradition hearings, the Tel Aviv District Court declared Blok extraditable. His subsequent appeal to the Supreme Court was dismissed, establishing significant legal precedents in Israeli cyber jurisprudence. The court ruled that the statutory definition of "computer trespassing" must be interpreted broadly to encompass the exploitation of software vulnerabilities and coding errors. Furthermore, the justices determined that the public nature of blockchain networks does not preclude money laundering charges, noting that anonymous wallet ownership and complex coin-swapping obscure the audit trail.
Following the Supreme Court ruling, Blok's petition for an additional hearing before the president of the Supreme Court was also rejected.
The extradition case was handled by Adv. Avi Kronenberg from the International Department of the State Attorney's Office. Blok's defense counsel, Adv. Sharon Nahari, an expert in criminal law and extraditions, stated: "We are pleased that the court recognized that our arguments raised a novel legal question. Although Supreme Court President Isaac Amit noted this represents a natural evolution of jurisprudence, he declined to intervene at this stage.
"This decision is not the end of the road for us," Nahari added. "Blok denies the allegations against him, and the merits of the case will be tested in a US court. We will continue to fight for his innocence and defend his rights throughout the criminal proceedings."
Note: Alexander Blok (Gurevich) has not been formally charged or convicted in the United States, and the presumption of innocence applies.
