A Russian court on Saturday freed Israeli-Canadian citizen Joshua Cartu who was arrested earlier this week at the request of the U.S. over alleged financial crimes.
Dubbed “Ferrari fugitive,” the racing car driver and entrepreneur has been accused along with his brothers of defrauding investors of millions of dollars.
He was detained on Monday by Russia’s Interpol unit at St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport after being declared “wanted” by the U.S.
St. Petersburg’s Moskovsky District court ruled to “terminate proceedings” against Cartu, saying Russian authorities had not received an official extradition request.
Russia does not have an extradition treaty with the United States, but the countries last month exchanged prisoners in a major swap.
A court earlier this week kept him in detention because, as an Israeli citizen, he could freely travel out of Russia.
The St. Petersburg court press service said Cartu was under an Interpol Red Notice due to accusations he was part of a group that defrauded investors in the U.S. of around $60 million between 2013 and 2017.
The U.S. government in 2021 filed a fraud complaint against Cartu and others including his brothers, David and Jonathan, over conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Cartu’s social media accounts on Instagram and Facebook are followed by hundreds of thousands. They feature glossy images of a luxury lifestyle with race cars.
In interviews with British media he has described himself as a race car and tech entrepreneur with his own fleet of Ferraris.
Canada’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday that it was “aware of an arrest involving a Canadian in Russia” and had offered consular assistance.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office has designated The Moscow Times as an “undesirable” organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a “foreign agent.”
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work “discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership.” We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It’s quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you’re defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.
×
Remind me next month
Thank you! Your reminder is set.
