Israeli private eye arrested in UK over alleged hacking for US PR firm

An Israeli private investigator wanted by the United States was arrested in London over allegations that he carried out a cyberespionage campaign on behalf of an unidentified American PR firm, a London court heard on Thursday. An initial attempt to extradite Amit Forlit to the United Sates was thrown out by a judge at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday on a legal technicality.

An Israeli private investigator wanted by the United States was arrested in London over allegations that he carried out a cyberespionage campaign on behalf of an unidentified American PR firm, a London court heard on Thursday.

An initial attempt to extradite Amit Forlit to the United Sates was thrown out by a judge at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday on a legal technicality. Amy Labram, a lawyer representing the United States, had told the court that Forlit "is accused of engaging in a hack for hire scheme".

Labram said that the U.S. allegations include that an unnamed Washington-based PR and lobbying firm paid one of Forlit's companies 16 million pounds ($20 million) "to gather intelligence relating to the Argentinian debt crisis". Forlit was arrested under an Interpol red notice at London's Heathrow Airport as he was trying to board a flight to Israel, according to the U.S authorities.

Forlit is wanted in the U.S. on three charges: one count of conspiracy to commit computer hacking, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud. A judge ruled that the attempt to extradite Forlit by the United States could not continue as he was not produced at court within the timeframe required under British extradition law.

"He was not produced at court as soon as practicable and the consequences of that ... he must – I have no discretion – he must be discharged," Judge Michael Snow ruled. Forlit and his lawyer did not immediately return messages seeking comment. The Federal Bureau of Investigation did not immediately return a message.

Forlit has separately been accused of computer hacking in New York by aviation executive Farhad Azima. Azima, whose emails were stolen and used against him in a 2020 trial in London, is suing Forlit and others in federal court in Manhattan. Forlit has previously acknowledged retrieving Azima's emails but has denied hacking, telling Reuters he innocently stumbled across the messages "on the web".

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