Israeli citizen Gal Barak was sentenced to four years imprisonment and restitution payments for investment fraud and money laundering as a principal of the Bulgarian cybercrime organization E&G Bulgaria in the Vienna Cybercrime Trials (#VCT) opening in early September 2020. It was already clear at the time that other prosecutors in other jurisdictions would also press charges against Barak if he were found guilty. Barak is currently still in prison in Austria. Germany intends to file charges against him and has sent an extradition request to the Austrian authorities.
Extradition to fellow EU member state Germany is considered by experts a formality even though it is likely that Barak’s lawyers in Vienna will object. If indicted and convicted, Barak faces another multi-year prison sentence and restitution payments to the German victims. Switzerland is also reportedly planning to file charges. As reported by FinTelegram, the written verdict has been issued by the Austrian court just recently. You can request a download of the verdict here.
In Vienna, on the other hand, Barak’s wife Marina Barak (previously Marina Andreeva) has been indicted. Currently, no date has been set for the trial, but it is expected to take place in the second quarter of 2021. In addition to Barak’s wife, other indictments will take place in Vienna and later in other European countries.
The Vienna Cybercrime Trials and the investigative activities carried out for them by the EU Law Enforcement Agencies are considered a reference case for the fight against cybercrime at EU level.
