Accused LinkedIn, DropBox Hacker Appears in US Court After Diplomatic Battle

Yevgeniy Nikulin, the Russian hacker accused of being responsible for breaching DropBox and the 2012 LinkedIn attack that saw 117 million passwords stolen, has been extradited to the US in a process that has implications for the larger relationship between the US and Russia.

Detained in the Czech Republic since October 2016, Nikulin had requested asylum there after warrants for his arrest were issued by both Russia and the US. The Czech government denied his bid for asylum and turned him over the USm where he appeared in a federal courtroom on Friday morning.

During his initial court appearance in San Francisco, Nikulin's attorney told the judge that his client has severe medical issues that require immediate attention. A medical evaluation has been ordered by the court.

Russia's government has expressed its displeasure with the decision to turn him over to the US, saying that the Czech government reached its conclusion without considering all the available facts.

According to a report on CNN, the Czech minister of justice made the decision after considering the seriousness of the charges leveled by the US and Russia and the two countries' intensity of desire to extradite and prosecute Nikulin.

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