Russian professional basketball player Daniil Kasatkin, previously playing for Moscow’s MBA team, was taken into custody last month at Charles de Gaulle Airport near Paris. The 26-year-old, standing 6’7″ tall, athlete was arrested upon his arrival with his fiancée (to whom he had just proposed) at the request of American prosecutors.
Authorities suspect him of being a negotiator for a ransomware group, facing charges in the US of “conspiracy to commit computer fraud” and “computer fraud conspiracy.” This criminal operation, still without a public name, is believed to have attacked around 900 organizations, including two US federal government agencies, between 2020 and 2022.
Arrest and Legal Battle
News of Kasatkin’s arrest on June 21 was confirmed by a French media outlet on July 10 when it ruled he should remain in custody for extradition proceedings. However, it only became public this week through French media reports.
Kasatkin’s detention has, reportedly, angered Russian officials. Their embassy in Paris expressed frustration, stating they have been repeatedly denied access to Kasatkin as they publicly complained on Thursday.
Translation: “We have requested consular access to our compatriot. Unfortunately, despite the steps taken, we have not yet been granted access due to the position of the French authorities. This is not an isolated case, we are facing repeated delays in the granting of consular access to Russian citizens, as we have once again recently pointed out to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
Meanwhile, his legal team is arguing that his time in prison is harming his physical health and will jeopardize his sports career. They claim he lacks a chair, access to a dedicated room, or a sports area in his cell, noting his weight has dropped from 95kg to 89kg.
“Useless with Computers” Defence
Kasatkin’s lawyer, Frédéric Bélot, strongly maintains his client’s innocence, adding a surprising detail: “He’s useless with computers and can’t even install an application.” Bélot suggests that Kasatkin simply bought a used computer and that either it was hacked, or the hacker intentionally sold it to him to operate under someone else’s identity.
Another lawyer, Vladimir Sarukhanov, has also asserted that Kasatkin possesses an “ironclad alibi” against the accusations, while also noting delays by French authorities in reviewing evidence.
“We have an ironclad alibi for this. Plus, we have contracts. The only drawback is that France does not stupidly start fulfilling the demands of the United States,” stated Sarukhanov.
It’s worth noting that being a negotiator for a ransomware group doesn’t necessarily require advanced computer skills; this role primarily involves communication with victims to secure ransom payments, a task typically handled by skilled operators. Kasatkin, who studied in the US from 2016 to 2019 and played for Penn State University, left his Moscow team on July 3, just over a week after his arrest.
As of now, US authorities have not released any official information regarding their investigation. They have about 60 days to provide the necessary documents for France to move forward with the extradition process.