Extradition from Greece—Health Care Fraud

Sergei Zholobetsky, who is wanted in the United States for health care fraud, has been arrested by Greek police in a Greek monastery.^[1] Mr. Zholobetsky has been living in the monastery of St. Panteleimon for the past five or six years.^[2] The man, who is of Russian origin, is wanted in the US on a 1996 arrest warrant because he allegedly sold beds and wheelchairs to hospitals, which he never delivered.^[3] In all, it is alleged that he defrauded the hospitals out of US$11 million.^[4]

Mr. Zholobetsky is currently in custody at the Diavata jail while Greek officials determine whether to extradite the novice monk to the US, as requested by the US.^[5]

Defrauding hospitals out of money is a crime for which extradition is available under the terms of the extradition treaty. It states that “[p]ersons shall be delivered up…who shall have been charged with…[o]btaining money, valuable securities or other property by false pretenses…where the amount of money…exceeds two hundred dollars or Greek equivalent.”^[6]

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[1] Margaret Neighbour, Monk Arrested Over $11m Fraud, The Scotsman, Oct. 6, 2005, available here.
[2] Id.
[3] Id.
[4] Id.
[5] Monk Arrested on Mount Athos, Kathimerini, Oct. 6, 2005, available here.
[6] Extradition Treaty, May 6, 1931, U.S.-Greece, art. II, para. 19, 8 Bevans 353.