Italy to extradite suspected Chinese hacker wanted by US authorities

[Edge Guerrero]

MILAN, April 26 (Reuters) - The Italian government has decided to extradite a Chinese man wanted by U.S. authorities on hacking ​charges that include stealing COVID-19 medical research, a ‌person with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

The government's decision, which was first reported by Bloomberg, follows a ruling by ​an Italian court earlier this month which said ​Xu Zewei could be extradited.

A representative for Italy's ⁠government declined to comment. Xu's lawyer Enrico Giarda told Reuters ​that his client had not received any communications on ​the matter so far.

Xu was arrested in Milan on July 3 at the request of U.S. authorities, who have accused him of wire ​fraud and aggravated identity theft for his alleged role ​in computer piracy acts that took place between February 2020 and ‌June ⁠2021.
Following his arrest, Xu's lawyer said his client had been a victim of mistaken identity.

The U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) alleges that Xu has been hacking and stealing crucial COVID-19 ​research at ​the behest of ⁠the Chinese government.

The DOJ has said that Xu was part of a team of ​cyber experts who in 2020 targeted U.S.-based ​universities, ⁠immunologists, and virologists conducting research into COVID‑19 vaccines, treatment, and testing.

The DOJ also alleges that in 2021, Xu was ⁠part of ​a cyber-espionage group known as ​Hafnium, which infiltrated thousands of computers worldwide, including in the U.S.

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/italy-extradite-suspected-chinese-hacker-wanted-by-us-authorities-says-source-2026-04-26/