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Chinese man fights US extradition in Italy over vaccine hack, claims mistaken identity
Xu Zewei faces US charges for allegedly attempting to hack a Covid-19 vaccine project, but asserts his innocence, citing a stolen phone and common surname
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A Chinese man arrested in Italy on a US warrant over alleged industrial espionage has opposed extradition, claiming he is a victim of mistaken identity, his lawyer said on Tuesday.
Xu Zewei, a 33-year-old IT manager at a Shanghai company, appeared on Tuesday before an appeal court in Milan, which will decide whether to send him to the United States.
The man was arrested last week after he arrived at Milan’s Malpensa Airport for a holiday in Italy with his wife.
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US authorities allege that he was part of a team of hackers who tried to access a Covid-19 vaccine being developed by the University of Texas in 2020.
“He told the judge that he had no reason to do what he is accused of and suggested that someone may have hacked into and used his account,” his lawyer Enrico Giarda told reporters at the end of the hearing, which was held behind closed doors.
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The lawyer added that his client said his surname is quite common in China and that his mobile phone had been stolen in 2020.
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