Fake Passports, $65M US, and an Interpol Red Notice: Canadian Crypto Fugitive Vanishes After Arrest in Serbia

Canadian Crypto Fugitive Linked to $65M Hack Vanishes After Arrest in Serbia

Andean Medjedovic, a Canadian citizen wanted for his alleged involvement in a cryptocurrency heist netting over $65 million USD, has been arrested in Serbia. The 21-year-old's arrest followed the issuance of a European arrest warrant by Dutch authorities after he allegedly executed a 'sophisticated hack' targeting KyberSwap, a Vietnam-based crypto platform.

Medjedovic, who is also wanted by Interpol, initially used a fake Slovak passport to check into a hotel in The Hague before carrying out the hack. He swiftly left the hotel after the incident, despite having paid for the next month's accommodation. His current whereabouts remain unclear, but court documents suggest he has been traveling extensively across Brazil, Dubai, Spain, and other locations since his disappearance from Canada in late 2021.

Medjedovic's legal troubles stem from two major hacks: one targeting Indexed Finance in 2019 where he allegedly drained $16.5 million USD, and another against KyberSwap in 2023. Both incidents involved exploiting vulnerabilities in the platforms' programming to steal funds, often using borrowed capital to amplify his gains.

Despite his notoriety in the crypto space, Medjedovic has made headlines for his peculiar behavior, including reaching out to victims and online observers with messages like 'Negotiations will start in a few hours when I am fully rested.' He has also faced scrutiny for comments that have been interpreted as racist slurs embedded within his code and a neo-Nazi symbol found on one of his cryptocurrency addresses.

Currently, Medjedovic is being sought by authorities in multiple countries, including Canada, the Netherlands, and Serbia. His case has sparked debates about the use of cryptocurrency for illegal activities and the challenges in tracking down individuals who seek to exploit technological vulnerabilities for financial gain.