‘Cyptocrash’ Kingpin Do Kwon Fights for His Life: Legal Battle to Avoid 100 Years in U.S. Prison

Do Kwon, a central figure in the cryptocurrency crash involving Terra and Luna, is using all available legal options to challenge Montenegro’s decision to extradite him to the United States. Montenegro’s Minister of Justice, Bojan Bozovic, signed the decision.

Kwon’s legal team has expressed concern that extradition to the U.S. could result in severe penalties, including a sentence exceeding 100 years in prison, effectively amounting to a life sentence. They have consistently hoped for his return to South Korea.

According to local reports, the Montenegro Ministry of Justice announced the extradition decision on Friday. In response, Kwon’s local attorneys, Goran Rodic and Marija Radulovic, acted swiftly to contest the decision.

The attorneys argued that the extradition process could not proceed until the decision was officially communicated in a language both Kwon and his legal team understood. They also requested immediate notification upon the decision’s issuance but claimed Minister Bozovic denied this request.

Although Kwon’s legal team ultimately received the decision that same day, the attorneys issued a follow-up statement raising concerns about the timing. They argued that receiving the notice after government office hours amounted to procedural obstruction, compromising Kwon’s right to a fair defense.

In light of this, Kwon’s attorneys have sought a temporary injunction from the Montenegro Constitutional Court and interim measures from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). However, experts suggest that overturning the Minister’s decision will prove difficult.

Previously, Kwon’s legal team filed a constitutional complaint after the Montenegro Supreme Court annulled a lower court’s decision to send him to South Korea. The Supreme Court transferred the authority to make extradition decisions to the Minister of Justice. However, the Constitutional Court dismissed the complaint, casting doubt on the success of any new injunction request.

The Montenegro Ministry of Justice has not provided details on when Kwon will be extradited to the United States.