Alleged Kazakh hacker arrested in Italy offers cybersecurity skills to avoid US extradition

ROME – A Kazakh national arrested in Italy on suspicion of leading cyberattacks against American hospitals has asked Italy to refuse a US extradition request, judicial sources said. Roman Khlynovskiy, 42, faces charges in Tennessee in connection with alleged ransomware attacks on more than 100 healthcare facilities. His lawyer has appealed to Justice Minister Carlo Nordio, Il Fatto Quotidiano reported, arguing that Italy could benefit from the Khlynovskiy’s cybersecurity knowledge, 

 

Khlynovskiy was detained on July 30 at a four-star resort in Rimini while on holiday with his family. He faces charges in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee including conspiracy to commit computer fraud, identity theft, money laundering, computer extortion, and threatening to distribute non-consensual intimate images. 

 

The arrest, carried out by Italy’s Postal Police in collaboration with the FBI, has placed the case in the hands of Justice Minister Carlo Nordio, who will decide on the US extradition request. 

 

According to FBI investigations, Khlynovskiy was allegedly a member of the “8-Digits Team”, a criminal organisation that allegedly conducted major cyberattacks from October 2021 to July 2025, targeting more than 100 American hospitals and healthcare providers. The group is accused of compromising approximately 70 million medical records and demanding dlrs 500 million in ransom payments. In April, the 8-Digits Team demanded dlrs 500 million to prevent publication of the information. A single California hospital received a demand for approximately dlrs 90 million. 

 

Khlynovskiy, a technology entrepreneur with permanent residency in the United Arab Emirates, was indicted by a grand jury on 20 August. However, his wife Olena has written to Nordio, arguing that keeping her husband in Italy could serve the national interest. “His skills, if employed within a legal and transparent framework, could contribute to a better understanding and prevention of complex technological phenomena related to cybersecurity, infrastructure protection and national interests,” she wrote, adding that her husband “is not a violent criminal and does not represent a threat to society”. 

 

Alexandro Maria Tirelli, Khlynovskiy’s lawyer, said the case had moved beyond jurisdictional questions to become a matter of political judgement. “The potential decision not to extradite him could allow the Italian state to acquire strategic information and expertise in computer security matters,” he said. “We will ask that Roman be at least heard by the competent authorities so that public interest and national security can be evaluated.” 

 

The appeal comes at a time when Italy has faced increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks on critical infrastructure. Italian authorities have been working to strengthen the country’s cybersecurity defences, particularly following high profile-attacks on government and corporate systems.

 

Italy has become an important location for international cybercrime enforcement, with several major arrests of hackers occurring on Italian soil. Last year, Chinese national Xu Wei was detained at Milan’s Malpensa airport and faces extradition to Texas on charges of alleged hacking to steal Covid-19 vaccine research. 

 

Ransomware attacks on healthcare facilities have surged as criminal groups recognise that hospitals are more likely to pay quickly owing to risks to patient care. The 8-Digits Team case represents one of the largest alleged healthcare-related cybercrimes by ransom demand. 

 

If convicted, Khylnovskiy faces a potential sentence of several decades in federal prison. Italian authorities have not indicated when a decision on the extradition request will be made. The case tests Italy’s balance between maintaining strong cooperation with US law enforcement and pursuing domestic cybersecurity interests, particularly as the country strengthens its defences against increasingly sophisticated digital threats.