LONDON: Amit Forlit, an Israeli private investigator arrested over allegations of hacking on behalf of an unnamed U.S. lobbying firm, was released due to a procedural error, British authorities said Thursday.
Forlit was arrested at London’s Heathrow Airport on April 30 at the request of U.S. authorities. They accuse him of engaging in a hack-for-hire scheme to gather intelligence about the dispute over the aftermath of Argentina’s debt default.
But “due to a misunderstanding, he wasn’t produced at court within the allocated timeframe,” the National Crime Agency said. “His case was subsequently discharged by the Judge and he was released,” the agency said.
British prosecutors too said since the case was discharged, “therefore there are no proceedings against him at this time.”
In previous conversations with Reuters, Forlit has denied being a hacker.
BREAKING: Israeli private investigator arrested for cyberespionage on behalf of American PR firm.
Caught by UK under #RedNotice from 🇺🇸US while boarding a flight.
BIG TWIST in a wild case that began w/a @citizenlab investigation 1/🧵
By @samiotobinhttps://t.co/5AjFMpkzmV pic.twitter.com/isNWBgkUlJ
— John Scott-Railton (@jsrailton) May 2, 2024
Reuters could not determine Forlit’s current whereabouts.
His lawyers in the US – where he faces a lawsuit over another set of hacking allegations – did not return several messages seeking comment.
In comments to a British court last week, a lawyer representing the US said an unnamed Washington-based lobbying and public relations firm had paid one of Forlit’s companies 16 million pounds ($20 million) to gather information “relating to the Argentinian debt crisis.”
(REUTERS)
