back to article 22-year-old Brit avoids US extradition over SIM-swapping conspiracy after judge deems him to be high suicide risk

A Brit accused of taking part in a $8.5m SIM-swapping conspiracy has escaped extradition to the US after a judge agreed he was at high risk of suicide. Corey De Rose walked free from Westminster Magistrates' Court after experts said long-standing mental health disorders and a history of self-harm and suicide attempts meant De …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Simple question: how do you prevent them from re-offending? When the 'victim' is victimizer, what do you do?

    1. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

      From TFA: "Nothing about the case prevents De Rose from being charged and tried in the UK, added Judge Griffiths."

      1. czechitout

        And yet, neither Lauri Love or Gary McKinnon have been prosecuted in the UK, with one of the stated reasons not to prosecute McKinnon being "the logistics of transferring sensitive evidence prepared for a court in the US to London for trial".

        I think it's fair to say this guy has got away with it.

    2. Michael

      The question is why is he not tried in th UK by default. The crime he is accussed of occurred in this country. Not the United States of America. We have laws here that are applicable. Surely there is no good reason not to have a trial here. Especially as video evidence is now standard practice.

      1. Snake Silver badge

        What?!

        "The question is why is he not tried in th UK by default. The crime he is accussed of occurred in this country. Not the United States of America."

        Methinks your comprehension needs improving

        "De Rose, 22, was accused by US prosecutors of being part of The Community, a self-titled cryptocurrency theft conspiracy.

        ...

        One victim, named only as RM by Westminster Magistrates' Court, was allegedly targeted by De Rose in July 2017.

        T-Mobile US was deceived into porting RM's phone number to a new SIM controlled by The Community. After resetting RM's passwords using authentication codes sent to his phone number, The Community allegedly transferred $8.5m worth of "ether" and "the Ethereum-based crypto-currency tokens" to themselves."

        Sounds like a crime in the U.S. jurisdiction to me.

        I agree with the OP, he can be very well-charged in his natural UK home.

  2. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

    "This was not a case where the [requested person's] mental condition had only arisen after his arrest on the extradition request, as is often the case," observed District Judge Sarah-Jane Griffiths

    There speaks experience!

  3. Clausewitz 4.0
    Devil

    Bad OpSec

    Who uses SKYPE to talk about a heist? Only idiots !

    And in the same channel gives his TRUE NAME, and address

    Strong Encryption is your friend, not even NSA/GCHQ can get your tools/assets with it

    Be smart, stay Immune from prosecution

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Bad OpSec

      I'm kinda OK with criminals not being too smart.

      1. Stork Silver badge

        Re: Bad OpSec

        Yes, an ex-cop agreed with me it’s quite as well that most criminals are not that bright

        1. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

          Re: Bad OpSec

          The ones who are easily caught aren't.

        2. Dave314159ggggdffsdds Silver badge

          Re: Bad OpSec

          Yes, between the crims and the cops, it takes almost all of the very, very stupid out of regular employment.

    2. Throatwarbler Mangrove Silver badge
      Big Brother

      Re: Bad OpSec

      "Strong Encryption is your friend, not even NSA/GCHQ can get your tools/assets with it"

      obXKCD

      1. Clausewitz 4.0
        Devil

        Re: Bad OpSec

        That applies well if you don't know how to fight or handle weapons.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Oh FFS

    If they're such snowflakes, maybe not engaging in long distance crime would have been a smarter option?

    They're bright enough to commit crimes, so it's inconceivable they are unaware of consequences. Or maybe they're all too well aware of the get-out-of-deportation card, after all, it has worked yet again..

    1. Throatwarbler Mangrove Silver badge
      Paris Hilton

      Re: Oh FFS

      "They're bright enough to commit crimes, so it's inconceivable they are unaware of consequences."

      It sounds like this person's combination of mental conditions may make that sort of rational decision-making problematic. Also, as this comment board frequently illustrates, a person can be very intelligent in some ways and almost perfectly fucking stupid in others. In fact, most people overestimate their competency across the board, and I believe this characteristic is especially pronounced in criminals, who often believe their initial success makes them immune to detection and capture.

      1. Michael

        Re: Oh FFS

        Fortunately I'm perfect in every way. I'm an expert in everything.

        1. MiguelC Silver badge

          Re: Oh FFS

          If it weren't for my humbleness, I'd be perfect too.

    2. IGotOut Silver badge

      Re: Oh FFS

      Maybe if the USA's judicial and penal system was slightly better than some shit hole dictatorships, then judges in the civilised world wouldnt be so reluctant to send people to it.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Oh FFS

        I've volunteered as an Official Prison Visitor, so consider myself well informed on UK prison conditions and I have also read quite a bit about the system in the US. While the UK system is pretty awful, it's far more humane than the US one where violence is often very severe. One thing to note though, is that despite the disturbing frequency people joke about rape in the US prison system it is not that common - someone committing rape is likely to find themselves on the end of vigilante justice from other prisoners.

    3. Dave314159ggggdffsdds Silver badge

      Re: Oh FFS

      "They're bright enough to commit crimes, so it's inconceivable they are unaware of consequences"

      There's no link there, even if the first part happens to be true. In fact, this was copycat, skiddie stuff, so no brains required at all. But it's quite possible for bright people to be ignorant.

    4. DJO Silver badge

      Re: Oh FFS

      They're bright enough to commit crimes, so it's inconceivable they are unaware of consequences

      Never forget arrogance, nobody commits a crime expecting to get caught - they know they are smarter than the cops so any potential penalty is irrelevant.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The US penal system

    The very definition of cruel and unusual punishment.

    1. Kobblestown
      Joke

      Re: The US penal system

      I thought they spell it "penile" over there

  6. Tilda Rice

    Ah, the mental health get out of jail free card. Its like watching the Chewbacca defence.

    Send him. Then put his sad little face on TikTok to hopefully put off the other little scrotes. He knew he was stealing.

  7. andy gibson

    "The partner, Denise Canavan, told Judge Griffiths that De Rose was earning £6,000 a month, though the judgment did not say how"

    And this isn't ringing any alarm bells?

  8. czechitout

    If you're going to commit crime, make sure your victims are in the USA and you are literally untouchable. De Rose, like Lauri Love and Gary McKinnon before him avoids extradition and now clearly won't be prosecuted in the UK.

    Ironically, one of the stated reasons the CPS didn't bring charges against McKinnon was "the logistics of transferring sensitive evidence prepared for a court in the US to London for trial."

    It's almost as if prosecution in the USA is for practical reasons and not some vast global conspiracy to deprive British citizens of justice.

    1. Clausewitz 4.0
      Devil

      Most evidence gathered by USA "authorities" are illegal in other courts of law around the world, thus, if no extradiction, no prosecution.

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