Kwon’s legal team cites uncertainties in Montenegro proceedings, requesting a trial postponement.
Do Kwon, the embattled founder of Terraform Labs, is facing another hurdle in his legal saga as his extradition from Montenegro remains entangled in legal technicalities. This has prompted his lawyers to request a postponement of his upcoming US trial, initially scheduled for late January.
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CRYPTO IN THE COURTS: Do Kwon Wants to Attend SEC Terraform Labs Trial So He Asks to Delay It to Mid March for Extradition – Inner City Press story: https://t.co/R3mq5kcsYs Full filing on Patreon here https://t.co/rQd294gK8k pic.twitter.com/3d525J8B4p
— Inner City Press (@innercitypress) January 12, 2024
Uncertain Extradition Timeline Leads to Trial Delay Request
- Legal documents filed on January 11th reveal delays in Kwon’s extradition, with his team estimating his arrival in the US could be pushed back to February or March.
- This uncertainty has led to the request for a trial delay to ensure Kwon’s presence and opportunity to defend himself.
- Kwon’s lawyers further requested that if the court denies the delay, the jury should be instructed not to hold his absence against him.
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Extradition Contentious, Retrial Ordered
- Kwon’s extradition has been a point of legal contention, with his team successfully challenging a Montenegro high court’s decision to extradite him.
- The Appeals Court ordered a retrial due to procedural irregularities.
- The final decision on extradition rests not with the court, but with the Montenegrin Minister of Justice, adding another layer of uncertainty.
Corruption Allegations Surface
- Speculations of potential corruption influencing the extradition proceedings swirl within the cryptocurrency community.
- Some believe Montenegro might be swayed by political or financial motives.
- Kwon stands accused of fraud linked to the downfall of TerraUSD (UST) and LUNA (LUNC) tokens in May 2022.
- The collapse of the Terra project wiped out an estimated $60 billion, impacting the broader crypto market.
Extradition Decision Looms
- In November, Montenegro’s highest court approved Kwon’s extradition based on requests from both South Korea and the US.
- The Minister of Justice will ultimately decide which country receives Kwon.
- Montenegro initially planned for US extradition, but the December extension of Kwon’s detention suggests the decision isn’t final.
US Dispute Continues
- Meanwhile, in the US, both Kwon and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have filed motions for summary judgment, seeking a verdict without a full trial.
- Each party argues the other lacks sufficient evidence to support their claims.
- The SEC uses the Terraform case as a precedent in its ongoing legal battles against other crypto giants like Binance and Coinbase.
The Future of Do Kwon
Kwon’s legal saga is far from over. His extradition hangs in the balance, impacting his trial date and potentially exposing the intricacies of international legal processes. The US court’s decision on the trial delay request and the Montenegrin Minister of Justice’s final extradition destination will be crucial next steps in this complex and high-profile case.