It is commonly assumed that the United States does not extradite its own citizens. That belief has been proven wrong, as Le Monde has learned, with the arrival of Hafiz Huzefa Ismail in France on Friday, February 20. Ismail, a 42-year-old American citizen, had been sought by Parisian investigating judges overseeing a sweeping investigation into a money laundering network involving more than €1 billion. Contacted by Le Monde, his French lawyer, Eric Russo, declined to comment on the extradition.
The investigation, which opened in 2021, focused in particular on money laundering from drug trafficking by organized groups and criminal conspiracy in eight European countries, including France, as well as in Dubai, Turkey and the US. Ismail is suspected of being the individual behind the pseudonym "CEO/Darkbank" on the encrypted messaging service Sky ECC, a tool favored by criminals.
This user, a true shadow financier, managed several drug money collection networks in France and across Europe. In return, he offered compensation in cryptocurrencies. He is also accused of enabling cybercriminals to convert cryptocurrencies obtained through ransomware or hacking into cash. A thorough analysis of messages and cross-referencing by investigators from the French Central Office for the Suppression of Major Financial Crime allowed them to link "Dark Bank" to Ismail.
