Lauri Love was accused of hacking into the FBI and Federal Reserve but British court rules he will not be extradited to US
He had been facing a life prison sentence in the United States if found guilty, a fate which he has said could lead him to taking his own life
An autistic British man accused of hacking into US government agencies won his appeal against extradition to the United States on Monday but was told he should be prosecuted in Britain instead.
Lauri Love, who has Asperger’s syndrome, is accused of involvement in a series of hacks in 2012 and 2013 into computers at agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the US army, the Missile Defense Agency and the Federal Reserve.
Charged with multiple offences in three US indictments, he had been facing a life prison sentence in the United States if found guilty, a fate which he has said could lead him to taking his own life.
We come to the conclusion that Mr Love’s extradition would be oppressive by reason of his physical and mental condition
“Very happy, relieved, very thankful for the High Court, for the judges,” a beaming Love, surrounded by cheering supporters, told waiting reporters outside the courthouse after his appeal was upheld.
A lower court in London had approved his extradition in 2016.
Love has been diagnosed with clinical depression and suffers from stress-aggravated eczema, conditions which he manages with a complex medication regime and support from his parents.
“We come to the conclusion that Mr Love’s extradition would be oppressive by reason of his physical and mental condition,” two High Court judges wrote in their ruling on his appeal.
Love’s lawyers had argued that he was not seeking to avoid justice, and was prepared to stand trial in Britain. The judges indicated that was what should now happen.