{"id":342238,"date":"2021-09-21T17:39:52","date_gmt":"2021-09-21T14:39:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/moneros-former-maintainer-released-from-us-custody\/"},"modified":"2021-09-21T17:39:52","modified_gmt":"2021-09-21T14:39:52","slug":"moneros-former-maintainer-released-from-us-custody","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/moneros-former-maintainer-released-from-us-custody\/","title":{"rendered":"# Monero\u2019s former maintainer released from US custody"},"content":{"rendered":"

“# Monero\u2019s former maintainer released from US custody <\/strong>”
\n<\/p>\n

Riccardo Spagni, the former lead maintainer of the privacy coin Monero, has reported U.S. officials have released him after more than a month in custody.<\/p>\n

In a Sept. 21 tweet, Spagni said<\/a> he was working with his legal team to return to South Africa to address the allegations against him. Authorities in the U.S. arrested Spagni in August on fraud charges tied to alleged crimes which occurred in South Africa between 2009 and 2011 at a company called Cape Cookies.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am actively working with my attorneys on a way to return to South Africa as soon as possible so I can address this matter and get it behind me once and for all,\u201d said Spagni. \u201cThat\u2019s what I\u2019ve always wanted to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

The South African government had been seeking Spagni\u2019s extradition on the charges, alleging he \u201cused false information\u201d to create invoices which inflated the prices for certain goods and services and had funds transferred to a bank account he controlled. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.<\/p>\n

Today marks the first time Spagni has tweeted since July, though someone \u2014 presumably his lawyers \u2014 did retweet<\/a> a statement posted to his wife\u2019s Twitter<\/a> account shortly after his arrest. The legal team claimed the arrest was on account of \u201chis alleged failure to app<\/a>ear in court, and nothing more.\u201d<\/p>\n

Related: <\/em><\/strong>Liquidators seek expanded probe of alleged South African Bitcoin scheme<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The lead maintainer of the privacy coin Monero (XMR) until December 2019, Spagni has been involved in the crypto space for more than a decade. Many know him for his colorful social media posts and wry humor on cryptocurrency projects and industry figures. <\/p>\n