Greek Court Orders Extradition of Billionaire Steinmetz to Romania

Israeli mining magnate Beny Steinmetz is currently appealing an Athens court ruling that ordered his extradition to Romania on bribery charges linked to illegal land acquisition. His lawyer argues that the Romanian allegations are unfounded and that the extradition requests have been deemed abusive, citing previous court rejections in Greece, Cyprus, and Italy. Steinmetz was detained in Greece after arriving on a private flight in October 2023 and is currently receiving medical treatment while in custody. The Athens Court of Appeals' recent decision contradicts its own prior ruling from 2022 regarding the same case, raising concerns about the consistency of judicial decisions. Steinmetz's legal team has filed an appeal with the Greek Supreme Court, which will have the final say on his extradition. Meanwhile, Interpol and several European countries have previously rejected similar extradition requests against him and his co-defendants.