A Russian-Israeli citizen, Alexander Gurevich, is set to be extradited to the United States to face charges related to the $190 million Nomad bridge hack that occurred in August 2022. Gurevich was arrested at Israel’s Ben-Gurion Airport on May 1 while attempting to board a flight to Russia. Authorities allege he exploited a vulnerability in the Nomad bridge, stealing approximately $2.89 million worth of tokens.
Following the initial breach, numerous copycat hackers exploited the same vulnerability, culminating in total losses of around $190 million. Prosecutors claim that Gurevich contacted Nomad’s Chief Technology Officer, James Prestwich, via Telegram under a false identity, admitting to the hack and expressing remorse. He reportedly returned about $162,000 to a recovery wallet set up by Nomad and discussed a potential 10% bounty for the stolen assets, but later demanded $500,000 for identifying the vulnerability.
The U.S. Department of Justice filed an eight-count indictment against Gurevich in August 2023, including charges of money laundering and transferring stolen property. The extradition request was formally submitted in December 2024. If convicted, Gurevich faces up to 20 years in prison. Israeli authorities believe he conducted the attack while in Israel, as he had returned to the country shortly before the exploit occurred.
