Russian basketball player gets detained over allegations of US hacking
(MENAFN) Russian national basketball player Daniil Kasatkin has been taken into custody in France at the request of the United States, which accuses him of involvement in a cybercrime operation, according to reports.
Kasatkin, who plays as a point guard for the Russian national team, was arrested on June 21 upon arrival at Charles de Gaulle Airport while traveling with his fiancée. A French court ruled on Wednesday to keep him detained as extradition proceedings move forward.
According to US authorities, Kasatkin is suspected of negotiating ransom payments for a hacking group that allegedly targeted approximately 900 businesses and two US federal agencies between 2020 and 2022. The basketball player previously studied in the United States, and this connection is reportedly part of the investigation.
His legal representative, Frederic Belot, said that Kasatkin maintains his innocence, asserting that he has “poor computer skills” and had purchased a second-hand device that was “either hacked or a hacker sold it to him using another person’s name.”
Shortly after his arrest, Moscow-based basketball club MBA confirmed that Kasatkin had departed from the team. During his time with MBA, he played in 172 matches and earned two bronze medals in the Russian national championship.
Kasatkin’s detention comes amid a series of similar incidents involving individuals linked to Russia. In August 2024, Telegram founder Pavel Durov was also arrested in France, accused of failing to curb illegal activity on his messaging platform. He was later released after posting bail of €5 million ($5.46 million) and claimed that French officials had attempted to coerce him into implementing stricter censorship policies.
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