The Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Kash Patel, has referred to Serbia during a U.S. Senate hearing as one of the countries allegedly involved in returning individuals suspected of Chinese intelligence-related activities back to China, rather than extraditing them to the United States.
Kash Patel made the remarks during testimony on Tuesday, responding to questions from Senator Chris Coons regarding his travel to the Winter Olympics in Italy. He stated that the visit had a specific mission and was strategically planned.
“As I noted in my opening statement, one of the most wanted cybercriminals linked to the Chinese Communist Party was in custody in Italy. While there, we reached an agreement for him to be deported to the United States instead of being sent back to China, as has often happened in countries like Serbia,” Patel said.
His comments sparked attention, as he used Serbia as an example in a broader discussion on extradition practices and the handling of suspects involved in cybercrime and espionage cases.
According to media reports, in April 2025 two individuals — a Chinese national and a British national wanted by the United States on cybercrime and espionage charges — were arrested in Serbia. They were later placed under house arrest but reportedly escaped in August, leading to an international arrest warrant.
U.S. authorities have accused them of involvement in intimidation campaigns against Chinese dissidents and illegal attempts to trade military equipment.
