In one of the most far-reaching criminal coordination efforts in recent memory, dozens of fugitives wanted in the United States have been extradited from more than two dozen countries.

This large-scale international operation, carried out throughout April and May, brought suspects back to U.S. soil to face charges for everything from murder and terrorism to cybercrime and drug trafficking.

Thanks to the combined efforts of the Justice Department and law enforcement agencies in countries including Canada, Colombia, Germany, Kenya, the UK, and many more, a broad sweep of alleged criminals will now stand trial in jurisdictions across the United States—from California and Florida to New York and Washington, D.C.

Extremist Plotter Accused of Targeting Jewish Community in Brooklyn

One of the most chilling cases involves Michail Chkhikvishvili, a 21-year-old Georgian national also known as “Commander Butcher.”

Authorities say he led a neo-Nazi hate group called Maniac Murder Cult and tried to orchestrate a horrifying New Year’s Eve mass attack in New York City in 2023.

His plan allegedly included a Santa Claus costume, poisoned candy, and targeting of minority groups—especially Jewish children and schools in Brooklyn.

Unbeknownst to him, he was actually planning these attacks with an undercover FBI agent. He was captured in Moldova and is now facing charges in New York.

Cryptocurrency Hacker Extradited from Spain

Tyler Buchanan, a 23-year-old from the UK, is accused of leading phishing attacks that compromised over 45 companies across the U.S., Canada, and the UK.

Prosecutors say Buchanan and his crew stole millions in cryptocurrency before he was arrested in Spain and sent to California to face charges.

Members of Major Drug Rings Returned from Latin America and Africa

Several major drug trafficking suspects were also extradited. Among them:

Adrian Alberto Cano Gomez, 45, allegedly part of Colombia’s ELN terrorist organization, is charged in Texas with narco-terrorism and large-scale cocaine distribution.
Aler Baldomero Samayoa-Recinos, 58, said to run a major Guatemalan cocaine operation, was sent to Washington, D.C. to face charges.
A group of alleged cartel collaborators—including Ramon Manriquez Castillo, Edgar Rodriguez Ruano, Fernando Escobar Tito, and Anderson Gamboa Nieto—were extradited from Guinea-Bissau for allegedly trafficking large cocaine shipments through a U.S.-registered airplane across Latin America.

Cold Case Murders and Violent Crimes Solved Across Borders

Other extraditions brought closure to long-unsolved crimes:

Daniel Flores, now 49, was finally extradited from Mexico to face charges for the 1995 murder of two U.S. Marine brothers in Illinois.
Manuel Alejandro Vasquez, 47, also from Mexico, is charged in Ventura County, California, for a 1998 home invasion murder.
Juan Miguel Roman-Balderas, 45, was sent from Mexico to Maryland to stand trial for the 2014 stabbing death of his ex-girlfriend.

Disturbing Cases of Sexual Violence Lead to International Arrests

Several extraditions involve heinous sexual abuse allegations:

Rody L. Wilcox, 50, fled the U.S. after being accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting a 6-year-old child in Idaho. He was tracked down in Georgia (the country) while allegedly trying to flee to Russia.
Gilberto Gutierrez, 46, extradited from El Salvador, is accused of sexually abusing two young girls in Maryland over several years.
Miguel Angel Urbano-Vazquez, 48, is accused of raping four victims—and murdering one of them—in Washington state in 2002. He was returned from Mexico.

A Family Tragedy in Indiana Leads to Extradition from Spain

Samuel Steven Huggler, 28, was extradited from Spain to face charges in Indiana related to the alleged murder and attempted murders of three of his own siblings.

He faces multiple conspiracy and firearm charges.

High-Tech Crime: Ransomware Mastermind Faces U.S. Charges

Artem Aleksandrovych Stryzhak, a Ukrainian national, was extradited from Spain for allegedly playing a major role in two notorious ransomware groups—Nefilim and Hive.

He’s accused of launching global hacking and extortion schemes that netted nearly $110 million in ransom payments and crippled over 1,500 victims worldwide.

Online Market Fraud and Device Cloning Brings Kosovar to Florida

Liridon Masurica, 33, known online as “@blackdb,” was returned from Kosovo to Florida.

Prosecutors say he ran an underground marketplace trafficking in stolen access devices and cloned accounts.

Shocking Murder in New York Involves a Choking and a Getaway

Michel Patrick Desalles, 54, from Mauritius, is accused of strangling his employer with zip ties and immediately fleeing the U.S. in 2017.

He was recently captured and returned to New York to face second-degree murder charges.

U.S. Also Hands Over Fugitives to Other Nations

The operation wasn’t just about bringing suspects to the U.S.—in some cases, America also sent fugitives abroad:

Tahawwur Hussain Rana, 64, a Canadian citizen originally from Pakistan, was extradited to India to face charges connected to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, which killed 160 people.
Aaron Seth Juarez, 26, was sent to Mexico to be tried for the 2019 murder of his stepmother, whose body was allegedly found buried in her backyard.

Global Teamwork Made These Extraditions Possible

Behind the scenes, agencies like the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA), the U.S. Marshals Service, and diplomatic units worked closely with law enforcement in over two dozen countries to make these arrests and transfers possible. U.S. Attorneys from Florida to California also played major roles in handling the legal process for extraditions both in and out of the country.

Reminder: These Are Allegations—Not Convictions

It’s important to remember that these individuals are still presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Indictments and complaints are just formal accusations, and all defendants will have their chance to contest the charges in a U.S. courtroom.