Italy extradites alleged Chinese hacker to US accused of spying for Beijing during COVID-19 pandemic

Published on 27/04/2026 - 18:42 GMT+2

Italy has extradited a Chinese hacker to the United States accused of spying for his country's authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic, constabulary said connected Monday.

The antheral was arrested astatine Milan's Malpensa airdrome past July and is "suspected of acting for the Chinese government," a constabulary connection said.

The FBI accuses Xu Zewei of hacking US authorities entities, probe institutes and universities progressive successful vaccine probe successful 2020 and 2021 astatine the tallness of the pandemic, the connection said.

The constabulary did not place the antheral but said helium was a erstwhile caput of a large exertion institution successful Shanghai.

He is alleged, on with associates, to beryllium down a hacking radical called "Hafnium" which was accused of penetrating tens of thousands of Microsoft Exchange email servers successful 2021.

The hacker squad allegedly “exploited machine flaws successful Microsoft Exchange Server software” related to email messages, to "target a instrumentality steadfast and different entities."

At the time, Microsoft called the radical a "highly skilled and blase actor."

Italian constabulary said the fishy was arrested connected a warrant from Texas, hailing an "excellent and well-established cooperation" with the FBI arsenic a crushed for the operation's success.

Xu, who had been held successful situation successful Busto Arsizio adjacent Milan since his arrest, has rejected the accusations.

"I americium surviving the astir hard play of my life, I hazard suffering an unfair proceedings successful the USA and carnal and intelligence ill-treatment. Do not extradite me," Xu told justice Veronica Tallarida.

"All my idiosyncratic data, email, contacts remained with the institution I worked for erstwhile I near it successful 2018," the Chinese nationalist said successful his defence, saying helium whitethorn beryllium the unfortunate of a lawsuit of mistaken identity.