A judge in Saskatchewan has ruled that Ryan James Roach should be extradited to the United States to face charges related to hacking into American university supercomputers for cryptocurrency mining. Following this decision, the province’s Court of Appeal granted Roach temporary release until a final decision is made by the federal justice minister.
Roach is accused of conspiring to commit unauthorized use of a computer, an offense punishable by up to 10 years in prison in Canada. Justice Grant Currie of the King’s Bench issued the committal order, stating that the evidence against Roach in the U.S. meets Canada’s extradition requirements.
It is important to note that the judge’s ruling does not determine Roach’s innocence or guilt. The U.S. seeks to extradite Roach, alleging that he collaborated with another Canadian individual to hack into a New York state educational institution in 2017. The breach resulted in significant damages to the institution, totaling approximately $337,000 US.
Court documents reveal that investigators from the FBI traced digital evidence connecting Roach to the alleged hacking activities. The investigation involved analyzing IP addresses, server logs, email accounts, and hosting records to establish the link between Roach and the unauthorized access to university supercomputers.
In his decision, Justice Currie acknowledged the defense’s argument that Roach may have been unaware of his alleged co-conspirator’s plans. However, he also noted the relationship between Roach and his associate, as well as financial transactions and communication that indicated a mutual agreement to hack into educational institutions for cryptocurrency mining.
Roach’s legal representative, Patricia Farnese, confirmed that Roach will not appeal the committal order. Farnese has submitted relevant information to the federal justice minister, who has the authority to make the final decision on Roach’s surrender. The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York is handling the prosecution of the case, while the U.S. Justice Department has chosen not to provide comments at this time.