Chinese man held in Italy on US warrant claims mistaken identity
The man was arrested last week after he arrived at Milan's Malpensa airport for a holiday in Italy with his wife. U.S. authorities allege that he was part of a team of hackers who in 2020 hacked and otherwise targeted U.S.-based universities, immunologist, and virologists conducting research into COVID-19 vaccines, treatment, and testing. The U.S. Justice Department says a research university located in the Southern District of Texas was also targeted.
"He told the judge that he had no reason to do what he is accused of and suggested that someone may have hacked into and used his account," his lawyer Enrico Giarda told reporters at the end of the hearing, which was held behind closed doors. The lawyer added that his client said his surname is quite common in China and that his mobile phone had been stolen in 2020.
"We are now waiting for the U.S. authorities to send us the investigation files so that we can understand how they came to identify him as the perpetrator," Giarda said, adding that Washington has 40 days to send the documents.
The lawyer specified that they plan to request house arrest, but only at a later stage.
In the meantime, he said he expects the next hearing to be scheduled after the summer break. The charges listed on the arrest warrant are wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and unauthorised access to protected computers.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Man orders paneer, gets chicken instead
Lucknow: An FIR was lodged against a Chinese restaurant in Gomtinagar's Vibhuti Khand on Sunday after a customer alleged that the restaurant delivered 'chicken kalimirch' instead of 'paneer kalimirch' that he had ordered. This mix-up reportedly caused the customer a severe food-related illness, prompting police to register a case and launch a thorough investigation. The complaint, lodged at the Vibhuti Khand police station, was filed by Manish Tiwari, a private employee residing in Pandit Purwa, Indiranagar. Recounting the incident, Tiwari said he visited a friend's residence in the Kamta area, where the two decided to enjoy a meal together. Opting for a vegetarian dish, they placed an order for 'paneer kalimirch dry' from a well-known restaurant near Hahnemann crossing, using a popular food delivery app. According to Tiwari, the delivery boy arrived promptly, handing over what was presumed to be their vegetarian order. However, the dish contained chicken instead of paneer. Trusting the restaurant's service, the duo consumed the meal, allegedly without realising even once that the paneer tasted differently. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You To Read in 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Tiwari claimed his friend suffered from severe vomiting, raising immediate concerns about the food's contents. Realising the gravity of the situation, Tiwari promptly approached the Vibhuti Khand police, accusing the restaurant of gross negligence. "An FIR has been registered based on the complaint, and the matter is under investigation," said Vibhuti Khand SHO Sunil Singh. Police have lodged an FIR under multiple charges, including BNS sections 125 (a) for acts endangering life or personal safety, 271 for the negligent spread of infectious diseases, 272 for spreading infection of a disease dangerous to life, and 318 (4) for cheating against the restaurant owner and staff. Additional DCP Pankaj Kumar Singh said that as part of the investigation, authorities are meticulously verifying the order details, examining food samples, and scrutinising delivery records to ascertain the authenticity of the complaint.
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
2006 train blasts: Bombay HC to pronounce verdict on death confirmation pleas today
Over five months after it reserved verdict on death confirmation pleas filed by the state and appeals by the accused against their conviction in the 7/11 train blasts case of 2006, the Bombay High Court will pronounce the judgement Monday. After conducting hearings over six months, special bench of Justices Anil S Kilor and Shyam C Chandak on January 31 this year reserved its verdict on pleas filed in the high court. In 2015, the special court convicted the accused who have been in jail for over 18 years. On July 11, 2006, a series of bombs ripped through seven western suburban coaches of a train, killing 189 commuters and injuring 824. After an over eight-year trial, a special court under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act (MCOCA) in October 2015 awarded death penalty to five of the convicts and life terms to seven others. Death row convicts Kamal Ansari from Bihar, Mohammad Faisal Ataur Rahman Shaikh from Mumbai, Ehtesham Qutubuddin Siddiqui from Thane, Naveed Hussain Khan from Secunderabad and Asif Khan from Jalgaon in Maharashtra were found guilty of planting the bombs. Those awarded life term were Tanveer Ahmed Mohammed Ibrahim Ansari, Mohammed Majid Mohammed Shafi, Shaikh Mohammed Ali Alam Shaikh, Mohammed Sajid Margub Ansari, Muzammil Ataur Rahman Shaikh, Suhail Mehmood Shaikh and Zameer Ahmed Latiur Rehman Shaikh. One of the accused, Wahid Shaikh, was acquitted by the trial court after nine years in jail. The Maharashtra government in 2015 approached the HC with pleas seeking confirmation of death penalty granted to five convicts. On the other hand, the convicts filed appeals challenging the special court order. Ansari, one of the convicts on death row, died due to Covid-19 in Nagpur prison in 2021. As the accused sought speedy disposal of the matter, the HC in July 2023, constituted a special bench led by Justice Kilor, which conducted regular hearings through more than 75 sittings. The lawyers representing the convicts argued that their 'extra-judicial confessional statements' obtained by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) through 'torture' were inadmissible under the law. They also argued that the accused were falsely implicated, innocent and were languishing in jail for 18 years without substantial evidence and their prime years were gone in incarceration. The appellants said that the trial court erred in convicting them and therefore the said order be set aside. The Maharashtra government opposed the appeals by convicts and claimed that the probing agency had provided sufficient evidence to establish it was 'rarest of the rare' case to sentence the accused to death penalty.
New Indian Express
3 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Cyber frauds from Southeast Asia cost Indians Rs 1,500 crore monthly: Government data
NEW DELHI: A data compiled by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), has revealed that a majority of cyber frauds targeting Indian citizens are being operated from Southeast Asian countries such as Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. These frauds are primarily linked to organised networks allegedly managed by Chinese operators and have cost people in India up to ₹1,500 crore per month, sources said on Sunday. According to I4C data for the first half of 2025 (January to June), India has suffered online financial losses amounting to approximately ₹8,500 crore. Alarmingly, more than half of these losses are tied to cybercrime operations based in Southeast Asian nations. On average, the data revealed that monthly cyber fraud-related losses to Indians in 2025 range between ₹1,300 crore and ₹1,500 crore. However, the data for 2025 marks a noticeable decline compared to 2024, when the monthly average stood at around ₹2,200 crore. Sources said this decline is attributed to improved surveillance, international cooperation, and public awareness campaigns by the I4C.
