A 49-year-old Bulgarian accused of selling American microchips and other high-tech components to Russia, with the “vehicle” of a Bulgarian “front” company, is extradited to the US, with the opinion of the Appeals Council of Thessaloniki, bypassing the trade restrictions set by the US government .

Against the extradition decision, the 49-year-old will appeal to the Supreme Court, in order to review his case and until then he remains in custody.

The US judicial authorities are looking for him, as he is accused of, among other things, “fraud against the government” and “money laundering”.

He was arrested last December – in execution of an international warrant – in the area of ​​Sidirokastro Serres, when, according to his version, he was returning to his homeland after a trip to Thessaloniki.

“I came to Greece for one day, and suddenly, leaving the border, I was arrested, I don’t know why. For 7 months my life has been destroyed”, said the 49-year-old during the procedure that took place in the audience of the Court of Appeal, appealing to the judges to help him “to end this horror” that he is living. He denied any connection to the charges against him and stated that he has been working since July 2018 at the disputed Bulgarian company, when the disputed exports took place three years earlier. “I am neither the owner of the company, nor responsible for anything”, noted – among other things – the 49-year-old.

Why is the US blaming him?

The U.S. District Court (Western District of Texas) had issued an arrest warrant against him charging him with acts that carry multiple years in prison under U.S. law. As described in the court documents, sensitive high-tech components such as microchips, automation systems and other civilian industrial applications were exported from the US to Bulgaria, where they were repackaged and shipped, via the Bulgarian company, to Russia, in violation of trade restrictions imposed by the the US poses.

The recipients appear to be two engineering companies, cooperating with each other, based in Moscow, while, among other things, there is a reference to a contract concerning the export of material worth 3 million dollars.

Prosecutor: “The company is completely virtual”

In her motion, which was accepted by the judges of the Council, the prosecutor of the seat, emphasized that there is sufficient evidence to satisfy the American request, stressing that the commodity which, according to the American prosecuting documents, was exported, is of “enormous value” and the “purely virtual” Bulgarian company.