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New details around the arrest of Riccardo “fluffypony” Spagni emerged today. One Monero has developer has weighed in, while statements from Spagni and his lawyers have been publicized.
Monero Restricts Spagni’s GitHub Access
Yesterday, it was reported that former Monero lead maintainer Riccardo Spagni had been arrested. The charges dated back to 2009 and concern Spagni’s role in the South African firm Cape Cookies.
Now, Monero developer binaryFate has responded to the arrest. He stated that the team has removed Spagni’s permissions from Monero’s Github repository. The team has also moved 5577 XMR from the Monero General Fund to a wallet that Spagni has no access to.
He emphasized that these actions do not indicate any stance on Spagni’s case and that they will likely be reversed.
“The sole reason to remove potentially critical access is because he could be pressured [by the authorities to reveal information] while in custody. It has nothing to do with him being guilty or innocent or what we think about it,” binaryFate explained.
BinaryFate also noted that Spagni’s devices have not been seized and that there has been no unusual activity in the relevant accounts since Spagni was put under arrest at the end of July.
Spagni and His Lawyers Comment
Meanwhile, Spagni has commented through his spouse Saskia Spagni. “Unfortunately, due to a misunderstanding with regards to the setting of court dates in an old matter… I have been held in contempt of court and [I am] currently awaiting extradition,” he wrote.
Spagni’s lawyers also filed a legal response on Friday that is now available. That document frames the arrest as a matter of Spagni’s failure to appear for certain court dates, arguing that COVID-19 and Spagni’s pre-existing medical conditions posed a hindrance.
Spagni’s lawyers also argued that he should be released from prison due to the fact that he cooperated with Interpol on other matters, citing those details as evidence that Spagni is not a risk.
On social media, a “Free Fluffypony” campaign is in progress, as many users emphasize that Spagni’s charges are unrelated to crypto and allege corruption within the South African government.
Disclaimer: At the time of writing this author held less than $75 of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and altcoins.