Tista’ taqra bil-
Malti.
Court has ruled against the extradition of Daniel Joe Meli, a 28-year-old resident of Żabbar, who stands accused of serious cybercrime offences by US authorities.
Meli was arrested on 7 February 2024 for allegedly selling and training criminals in the use of Warzone, a sophisticated Remote Access Trojan (RAT) software capable of bypassing security systems and gaining unauthorised access to computers.
The charges against Meli in the United States carry potential sentences of up to five years in prison for each count. Initially, the suspect had agreed to extradition but later challenged the request through legal appeals and a constitutional case.
The court’s ruling comes after Meli was granted bail last month under stringent conditions. These include daily sign-ins at the Żabbar Police Station between 6am and 8pm, remaining at his residence during night hours, and surrendering all identity documents.
Financial restrictions have also been imposed, with Meli required to deposit €8,000 in court and provide a personal guarantee of €20,000. His parents have been enlisted as third-party guarantors, each providing a surety of €5,000.
Meli’s legal team, comprising lawyers Franco Debono, Arthur Azzopardi, and Marion Camilleri, argued successfully that the original extradition decision was flawed. They contended that the court had not properly assessed the suspect’s medical fitness when he initially consented to extradition.
Prosecutors claim he was involved in selling illegal malware on the dark web and providing mentoring services on a “hack forum” between December 2012 and June 2022. Meli has pleaded not guilty to these accusations.
While the court has currently dismissed the US extradition request, the ruling remains subject to appeal. The prosecution had initially expressed concerns about potential evidence tampering and the risk of the suspect absconding.
Meli is prohibited from approaching Malta’s shores, the island of Gozo, or the vicinity of Malta International Airport as part of his bail conditions.
The court has made it clear that any breach of these conditions would result in Meli’s immediate re-arrest and the forfeiture of €28,000 in bail funds.
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