Israel extradites alleged Nomad bridge exploiter to US over $2.8M theft
In brief
- Israel extradited Alexander Block, formerly Alexander Gurevich, to the U.S. over the 2022 Nomad exploit.
- Block is accused of taking tokens worth more than $2.8 million but hasn't been convicted.
- Israel's Supreme Court said exploiting a code flaw could be intrusion even if software allowed it.
- The FTC proposed a settlement with Nomad operator Illusory Systems in December 2025.
What the U.S. alleges
Block hasn't been convicted of anything.
A federal grand jury in the Northern District of California indicted him in August 2023 on four counts of computer fraud, one count of transporting stolen property and three counts of money laundering, according to Israel's Supreme Court judgment. (Washington requested his extradition in December 2024.)
The U.S. extradition request says a June 2022 software update left a flaw in Nomad's smart contracts that let users receive tokens on one blockchain without locking up equivalent assets on another. Operating as "Bitlik," Block allegedly ran six test transfers and then four main ones around August 1, 2022, receiving tokens worth more than $2.8 million. He then allegedly moved them through several wallets and converted them into other cryptocurrencies to hide their origin.
That's where it got messy. The request alleges his actions exposed the flaw to other Nomad users, who drained a Nomad-controlled wallet holding more than $186 million in user funds.
Paradigm researcher Sam Sun likened what followed to "a frenzied free-for-all,"
A few days later, Block allegedly returned some tokens and contacted a senior Nomad official on Telegram, offering to give back the rest in exchange for payment for finding the flaw. He later cut off contact, and Nomad went to U.S. law enforcement.
The court's take on "the code allowed it"
Block was arrested at Ben Gurion Airport in May 2025 while preparing to fly to Russia, shortly after he'd changed his surname and obtained a passport in the new name. The Jerusalem District Court approved his extradition in July 2025.
On appeal, he argued the transactions used functions available within Nomad's automated system, and that the public record of blockchain transfers undercut the laundering allegations. Israel's Supreme Court rejected both arguments, holding that exploiting a programming flaw could constitute unlawful computer intrusion even where the software technically permitted the action, The Jerusalem Post reported. Publicly visible transactions, the court found, don't necessarily identify who's behind a wallet or rule out efforts to conceal where funds came from.
Supreme Court President Isaac Amit later rejected Block's request for a further hearing, according to the State Attorney's Office.
Nomad's wider fallout
The August 2022 exploit drained Nomad of nearly all its funds, and the bridge recovered about $22 million in the days after the hack. In December 2025, the Federal Trade Commission proposed a settlement with Nomad operator Illusory Systems, saying the bridge lost $186 million after hackers exploited a poorly tested software update. It'd require the company to return recovered funds to users who haven't been reimbursed.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Israel's Supreme Court reject the argument that Nomad's code allowed the transfers?
On appeal, Block argued the transactions used functions available within Nomad's automated system. Israel's Supreme Court rejected that, holding that exploiting a programming flaw could constitute unlawful computer intrusion even where the software technically permitted the action, The Jerusalem Post reported.
Does a public blockchain record undercut money laundering allegations?
Block argued it did. Israel's Supreme Court disagreed, finding that publicly visible transactions don't necessarily identify the people behind wallets or rule out efforts to conceal where funds came from.
