Sask. Man Extradited for University Crypto Mining Hack

Canadian Man Faces Extradition Over University Crypto Mining Scheme

Ryan James Roach is accused of conspiring to commit unauthorized use of a computer, an offense carrying a potential prison sentence of up to 10 years in Canada. The order for his extradition to the U.S. was issued by King’s Bench Justice Grant Currie, who found sufficient evidence to meet Canada’s legal threshold for such a transfer. However, the day after this ruling, the province’s Court of Appeal granted Roach interim release, pending a final determination by the federal justice minister.

U.S. prosecutors allege that Roach conspired with another Canadian man, Mathiew James Stubbings, to breach at least one New York state educational institution in 2017. The alleged operation involved stealing over 1,900 login credentials, installing malicious software, and redirecting the institution’s supercomputing power to mine Electroneum, a specific cryptocurrency. This breach reportedly caused approximately $337,000 US in damages to the institution, covering system shutdowns, forensic analysis, and infrastructure rebuilding costs.

FBI Investigation and Judicial Findings on Conspiracy

Investigators with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reportedly traced a digital trail linking the alleged hack to Roach, analyzing IP addresses, server logs, email accounts, and hosting records. Justice Currie, in his decision, acknowledged the defense’s argument that Roach may have been unaware of Stubbings’s specific plans, noting that Roach’s research into high-performance computing occurred during, not prior to, the attack. However, Currie ultimately concluded that the relationship between the two men, combined with Roach’s payment for servers and Stubbings referring to Roach as his “partner,” supported the inference of an agreement. Currie stated that a reasonable jury could convict Roach of conspiring to commit unauthorized computer use.

Roach will not appeal the committal order, according to his lawyer, Patricia Farnese, who indicated that the decision does not meet the appeal threshold and Roach wishes to avoid unnecessary delays. Farnese has made submissions to the federal justice minister, who now has 90 days to render a final decision on surrendering Roach to U.S. authorities. Should the minister decide to proceed with the extradition, Roach will retain another right to appeal the minister’s decision. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York, with the U.S. Justice Department declining to comment on the matter.