The U.S. Embassy in Pristina has announced that two citizens of Kosovo have been extradited to the United States, where they will face charges related to fraud and identity theft, allegedly causing financial harm to American citizens.
The individuals in question, Ardit Kutleshi, 26, and Jetmir Kutleshi, 28, were arrested on December 12 of last year following a U.S. extradition request. According to the indictment, the two men were administrators of the website Rydox, a platform used for selling stolen personal data for cybercriminal activities and fraudulent transactions.
“We greatly appreciate the continued cooperation of Kosovo’s authorities in assisting the U.S. government on this matter, reinforcing our joint efforts to ensure security for both Kosovo and the United States,” stated the U.S. Embassy in Pristina.
Court documents indicate that Rydox generated at least $230,000 in revenue since its inception in February 2016. Prosecutors allege that the defendants facilitated the sale of thousands of stolen credit card details belonging to U.S. residents.
If convicted, Ardit and Jetmir Kutleshi face severe penalties. Under U.S. law, they could receive a maximum of 20 years in prison for money laundering, 10 years for credit card fraud, and five years for each count of identity theft. Additionally, the charge of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years, which must be served consecutively to any other sentence.
The case highlights growing international cooperation in combating cybercrime, with Kosovo authorities playing a key role in assisting U.S. law enforcement. Further legal proceedings in the United States will determine the fate of the two accused individuals.