Is it me or the DOJ so the flight manifest and then went to a grand jury to indict? He did what he did in 2014-2015 and the charges were filed in July 2017, a couple of weeks before Defcon...
AlphaBay takedown. I suspect that they found something there.
If that's the case, this is a pretty fast turnaround, actually.
And, given the tiny amounts of money I have seen being quoted (Kronos banking trojan sold for $3000? really?), they probably arrested him with the intention to get him to roll over on somebody much bigger.
The question is whether they've shot themselves in the foot. Did the FBI intend for this to be a quiet nab, but his celebrity from WannaCry hosed them up? Given how quickly they seem to be moving, it's certainly possible.
If that is the case, it would not be remarkable. Prosecutors have a responsibility to only pursue cases that are likely to result in conviction. If extradition was considered impossible, then there would not be much point in pursing an indictment.
I totally agree, and I think it's in different categories, depending on the crime. This guy might have escaped unless he came to USA for example, as extradition might mean a lot of work, for another they will leave no stone un-turned.
USA probably gets all the flight reservation data and take it from there. If you're a Russian criminal mastermind dying to spend some of that cash in Greek islands, they'll find out. (Better stay in Russia and pay Igor @ Russian Gov his share :) )
