US Court Renews Russian National Nikulin's Trial After COVID-19 Delay

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th July, 2020) A US court renewed the trial of Russian citizen Yevgeniy Nikulin on Monday after it was suspended in early March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The trial began in early March and was suspended in April due to COVID-19-related restrictions on the movement of citizens in and around San Francisco.

Six out of twelve� jury members are able to participate in-person despite the coronavirus-related restrictions, the court found.

The Czech police detained the Russian national in October 2016 and extradited him to the US in March 2018. The Russian authorities, who charged Nikulin with internet fraud in 2009, requested his extradition on the same day as the United States, but the Czech Republic's Justice Ministry granted the US request.

The US accuses Nikulin of hacking into computers belonging to LinkedIn, Dropbox and Formspring's online services. Nikulin has pleaded not guilty.