Appeals Court Overturns Extradition Decision for Do Kwon
The Montenegro Appeals Court has overturned the High Court’s ruling to extradite Do Kwon, according to a report from Vijesti. The Appeals Court stated that there were several violations in the legal proceedings leading up to the High Court’s decision, which was made on November 17. The reasons provided for the extradition were deemed insufficient and unclear by the court. As a result, the Appeals Court decided to overrule the High Court’s ruling and send the case back to the Primary Court in Podgorica.
No Extradition for Hon Chang Joon
The Appeals Court also determined that Hon Chang Joon, an associate of Do Kwon, should not be extradited to either the United States or South Korea at this time. However, both Kwon and Joon have been sentenced to four months in prison in Montenegro.
Arrest at Podgorica Airport
Do Kwon and Hon Chang Joon were arrested at Podgorica airport on March 23, 2023, after months of evading authorities due to their involvement in the Terra (LUNA) crash. They were apprehended by border police while attempting to board a flight to Dubai using counterfeit Costa Rican passports. Initially, they denied the falsification of their documents but later confessed to obtaining them through a Singapore-based agency.
Extradition Requests from South Korea and U.S.
Montenegro received extradition requests from both South Korea and the United States. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) alleges that Terra’s ecosystem was not only misrepresented as a securities investment but also involved in an elaborate cryptocurrency fraud orchestrated by multiple malicious actors.
Complex Legal Process
Despite Do Kwon’s initial agreement to an expedited extradition process, the High Court opted for the standard legal procedure due to the extradition requests from two separate countries.
Hot Take: Appeals Court Overturns Extradition of Do Kwon and Hon Chang Joon
The Montenegro Appeals Court has reversed the decision to extradite Do Kwon and Hon Chang Joon, marking a significant turn of events in their legal battle. The court found multiple violations in the previous legal proceedings, deeming the reasons for extradition insufficient and unclear. As a result, the case will be returned to the Primary Court in Podgorica for further review.