Polish District Prosecutor’s Office confirms arrest of former WEX chief Dmitry Vasilyev

The Warsaw District Prosecutor’s Office commented on the detention and arrest of the former owner of the WEX cryptocurrency exchange, Dmitry Vasilyev. This reports RIA Novosti.

According to a spokesman for the agency, Vasilyev was detained on 11 August on the basis of an Interpol warrant at Kazakhstan’s request.

The court ordered a 40-day temporary detention – until 21 September.

The prosecutor’s office noted that it is examining Kazakhstan’s extradition request for Vasilyev, but no decision has yet been made.

Back in July 2018, the WEX exchange stopped full withdrawal of funds due to ‘technical works.’ At the same time, Vasilyev claimed a contract transferring ownership of WEX was signed to former DPR fighter Dmitry ‘Moryachok’ Khavchenko.

In August of that year, the exchange’s bankruptcy and suspension of operations became public. An activist group of clients estimated the losses at over $400 million. Vasilyev himself is attributed with moving $200 million.

In spring 2019, Kazakh law enforcement authorities named him a suspect in fraud in absentia and issued an international arrest warrant.

Earlier ForkLog reported that shortly after Dmitry Vasilyev’s detention, an unknown person withdrew 100 ETH from one of WEX wallets. The funds were sent to the Binance exchange.

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