Alexander Gurevich, a 47-year-old dual citizen of Russia and Israel, was apprehended last Thursday at Ben-Gurion Airport while attempting to escape to Russia with a passport bearing a new surname. He is wanted in the United States for his alleged role in computer crimes, money laundering involving millions of dollars, and the transfer of stolen assets linked to a 2022 cryptocurrency hack that nearly led to the downfall of a California blockchain firm. This arrest marks the first time the identity of the key suspect in this case has been publicly disclosed.
According to a request from U.S. authorities for extradition, Gurevich had demanded a reward of $500,000 following the theft of digital tokens from a cryptocurrency wallet. On Friday, the International Department of Israel’s State Attorney’s Office filed a motion in the Jerusalem District Court to classify Gurevich as extraditable to the United States.
Gurevich’s Role in the Nomad Hack
Gurevich, who was born in Germany, has held dual Israeli-Russian citizenship. He immigrated to Israel approximately three and a half years ago but spent the majority of that time outside the country. He returned to Israel on April 19, coinciding with the second day of Passover. Shortly after his arrival, Justice Minister Yariv Levin issued an order for his appearance in the Jerusalem District Court regarding extradition. In the interim, Gurevich made plans to exit the country under a new alias. On April 29, he officially changed his name in the Population Registry to “Alexander Block.” The following day, he obtained a passport under this new name at the Population and Immigration Authority located in Ben-Gurion Airport. When he attempted to board a flight to Russia on May 1, prosecutors reported that he was arrested just before departure. He appeared in court the next day while handcuffed.
The case is centered around a significant breach that took place on August 1, 2022. Just days prior, Gurevich—who became an Israeli citizen in 2017 but had spent the previous five years living abroad, reportedly including time in Africa—returned to Israel. On the same day, the U.S.-based cryptocurrency company Nomad experienced a severe hacking incident, resulting in the loss of nearly $190 million in digital assets. This breach was part of a series of high-profile cyberattacks on cryptocurrency platforms that year, contributing to total losses in the industry exceeding $1 billion.
Nomad tweeted their awareness of the hacking incident involving their token bridge and confirmed that they were investigating the matter, promising updates as more information became available.
Prosecutors allege that Gurevich exploited a vulnerability in Nomad’s system, enabling him to withdraw approximately $2.89 million in tokens. Within hours, the flaw was discovered by others, leading to total losses estimated at $186 million.
In the extradition request, it is noted that on August 4, 2022, while reportedly still in Israel, Gurevich contacted Nomad’s Chief Technology Officer, James Prestwich, through the Telegram app. Under a false identity, he confessed to “amateurishly” probing for system weaknesses and expressed remorse for the disruption he caused to Prestwich and his team. He reiterated this apology during a subsequent phone call and claimed he had transferred around $162,000 into a recovery wallet set up by the company.
Moreover, Gurevich “requested a reward of $500,000 for identifying the vulnerability.” Prestwich asked him to formalize the request in writing via Telegram for company leadership’s review. The next day, Prestwich offered him “10% of the value of the stolen assets” but nothing more. Gurevich indicated he would consult with his attorney but subsequently halted all communication. The FBI’s San Francisco field office then initiated a criminal investigation.
On August 16, 2023, U.S. federal prosecutors charged Gurevich with an eight-count indictment in the Northern District of California, leading to the issuance of an arrest warrant. A formal extradition request was submitted by the U.S. in December 2024.
The offenses he faces in the United States carry significantly harsher penalties than those under Israeli law. Five of the charges could result in up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine each. In contrast, the maximum sentence for the four related computer offenses under Israeli law is just three years. Additionally, the charge of money laundering in the U.S. carries a maximum penalty of 20 years, which is double the potential sentence in Israel.
If extradited and convicted in the United States, Gurevich will not be able to serve his sentence in Israel, as he was not a resident at the time the alleged crimes occurred. The case is being managed by attorney Avi Kronenberg from the State Attorney’s Office International Department, with the arrest operation coordinated by the Operational Coordination Department of the Israel Police’s National Fraud Unit and the Tel Aviv Fraud Division. Judge Einat Avman-Moller has ordered Gurevich-Block to remain in custody, with a hearing scheduled for Sunday. He is currently represented by the Public Defender’s Office.
