UK Judge Rejects Ex-Saitama CEO's Bid to Avoid US Extradition

A UK judge has rejected former Saitama CEO Manpreet Kohli's bid to avoid extradition to the United States, where he faces charges related to an alleged crypto market-manipulation scheme.

Kohli can appeal the ruling, but for now, his extradition is not yet final. He remains free on £200,000 bail.

The US prosecutors have charged Kohli with wire fraud, market manipulation, and operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business related to Saitama, an Ethereum-based token that once reached a reported market capitalization of $7.5 billion.

Kohli had argued that US authorities could not adequately address his mental health and risk of suicide in custody, but the judge found that safeguards during transfer and within the US prison system could reduce this risk to an acceptable level.