Montenegro’s High Court has once again approved the extradition of Do Kwon, a key figure in the cryptocurrency Terra Luna crash, paving the way for a potential transfer to the United States.
The decision came after the local Supreme Court overturned the previous decision to extradite Do Kwon to South Korea, requiring the extradition process to begin again.
Montenegro Court Clears Path For Do Kwon’s Extradition
According to South Korean media reports, the likelihood of Do Kwon’s repatriation to the United States has increased due to the stance of the Attorney General, who has the final decision-making power.
On Wednesday, the Podgorica High Court in Montenegro ruled in favor of Kwon’s extradition, saying that the legal requirements for extradition to both South Korea and the United States had been met.
However, Marija Rakovic, head of public relations at the Podgorica High Court, confirmed that Justice Minister Andrej Milovic would make the final decision regarding the extradition case.
The previous extradition decision by the Podgorica High Court, which took place in November last year, was invalidated due to the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Following a request from the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office to determine its legality, the Supreme Court overturned the decision because it exceeded the court’s authority.
The Supreme Court clarified that the court’s role is to assess whether the legal requirements for extradition are met, while the decision to approve or prioritize extradition lies with the competent minister.
Consequently, the Podgorica High Court had to repeat the extradition review process, ultimately permitting Do Kwon’s extradition and leaving the final decision in the hands of Justice Minister Andrej Milovic.
Is Kwon’s Extradition To The US More Likely?
Despite the ongoing appeal process, speculation has arisen regarding the increased likelihood of Do Kwon’s extradition to the United States, primarily due to Minister Milovic’s expressed desire for Kwon to face legal proceedings in the US.
Per the report, the defense team representing Do Kwon has a three-day window to appeal the decision once they receive the translated judgment from the Podgorica High Court.
Minister Milovic, in a local interview posted in November last year, emphasized the United States as Montenegro’s most important foreign policy partner, which may shed light on his position concerning Kwon’s extradition.
Do Kwon, the co-founder of Terraform Labs, disappeared shortly before the cryptocurrency Terra Luna crash in April 2022 and later surfaced in Montenegro after a journey through the United Arab Emirates and Serbia.
Kwon was apprehended at a local airport on March 23 last year upon discovering a fake passport. Kwon served a four-month prison sentence for using the counterfeit document and was subsequently transferred to a foreign detention center upon his release on the 23rd of last month.
As the legal proceedings unfold, Do Kwon’s fate remains uncertain. The potential outcome is significantly impacted by the decision of Montenegro’s Minister of Justice, Andrej Milovic.
At present, Luna Classic (LUNC), the native token of the original Terra blockchain, is trading at $0.0001285, reflecting a 31% decrease in price over the past 30 days. However, LUNC has experienced a slight surge of 1.2% in the past 24 hours.
Featured image from WIRED, chart from TradingView.com
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