PARIS, July 10. /TASS/. Russian basketball player Daniil Kasatkin has been detained in France at the request of the United States, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.
According to the agency, Kasatkin is suspected of being part of a hacker group that carried out ransomware attacks. AFP added that the basketball player denies all the accusations.
Kasatkin was arrested at Paris’s Charles de Gaulle Airport on June 23 after arriving to propose to his girlfriend. A Paris court ruled that he should remain in custody. The United States accuses him of conspiracy to commit computer fraud, alleging that a hacker network linked to Kasatkin attacked about 900 organizations, including two US federal agencies.
According to Kasatkin’s attorney, Frederic Belo, the player is not tech-savvy. Belo requested his release on bail, but the court denied it. Kasatkin has stated that his health has worsened in prison, and his weight has dropped from about 209 pounds to 196 pounds.