MTI Mastermind Arrest: Lawyer Points to Agreement Relating to Johann Steynberg’s Extradition to South Africa

With Johann Steynberg now in custody in Brazil, a lawyer has recommended that South Africa could need to resort to an current authorized help settlement with Brazil if it needs to have the CEO extradited. However, the success of any such extradition will depend upon the following steps taken by authorities in Brazil.

Steynberg Extradition Options

Following the seize of Johann Steynberg, the CEO of Mirror Trading International (MTI) by Brazilian legislation enforcement, lawyer Darren Hanekom has confirmed that South Africa does have in place a authorized help settlement with Brazil. According to the lawyer, the unsigned settlement may probably be used to assist facilitate Steynberg’s extradition to South Africa, house to many traders in MTI.

Yet in his feedback throughout an interview with Moneyweb, Hanekom additionally revealed that the United States has an analogous settlement with Brazil which permits the latter to maintain Steynberg in custody for as much as 90 days. According to the lawyer, throughout this era two court docket hearings are more likely to be held, one which pertains to Steynberg’s software for bail and one other one for his extradition.

As beforehand reported by Bitcoin.com News, Steynberg was arrested by a unit inside the Brazilian army police after it obtained info that the fugitive CEO — who is needed by the FBI — was utilizing a pretend identification doc. Immediately following the arrest, Brazilian legislation enforcement stated Steynberg would face fees regarding his use of the pretend doc.

Fake Document Offense

Similarly, in his remarks through the interview, Hanekom recommended that Brazilian authorities will probably contemplate prosecuting the CEO for offenses dedicated in Brazil. He defined:

From what we are able to discern from media releases is that he was arrested for planning and being in possession of falsified journey paperwork regarding passports. I feel there’s additionally point out of bank cards. What we are able to additionally draw from that’s that that might very properly be an offence in Brazil as properly, which in flip signifies that the Brazilian authorities may equally take a call to not extradite him, and prosecute Mr Steynberg in Brazil.

After disappearing with traders’ bitcoins in late December 2020, Steynberg reportedly went on to amass a non-public jet plus a number of costly vehicles. The married CEO additionally started a romantic relationship with an unnamed lady whom he showered with costly items. However, for the reason that emergence of particulars of his new life-style in Brazil, some victims of the MTI Ponzi scheme are desirous to see Steynberg being prosecuted in South Africa.

Yet as Hanekom explains, Steynberg is more likely to be extradited to the United States if the South African authorities stays a “passive bystander.” Should this occur, then the possibilities for these primarily based outdoors the U.S. recovering their funds will depend upon international locations like South Africa triggering “the mutual legal-assistance treaty provisions that it has with the United States.”

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