After hacker’s parents’ appeal, government says it is ‘closely monitoring’ US extradition case

Government is “closely monitoring” developments in the extradition case of Daniel Meli, the Justice and Foreign Affairs ministries said in a joint statement on Thursday.

This is the first pronouncement by the government after Meli’s parents made a heartfelt appeal in MaltaToday last Sunday for diplomatic intervention so their son could serve time in Malta.

Chris and Lucienne Meli, the parents of Maltese hacker Daniel Meli, have appealed for the government's intervention in their son's case

Daniel Meli is to be extradited to the US where he is wanted for offering malware products and services, amongst them the Pegasus remote access trojan (RAT), for sale to cybercriminals on the dark web.

Meli, who was arrested in Malta in February this year first consented to his arrest on the advice of his lawyer. However, when it became apparent that he could potentially face up to 45 years in prison, Meli contracted new lawyers who appealed the extradition. He lost the appeal and has now filed constitutional proceedings.

In a short statement the government said that through the Justice Ministry and the Foreign Affairs Ministry, it is “closely monitoring the developments in the case of Daniel Joe Meli”.

“While it is essential to unreservedly respect the judicial process, which is currently at the stage of a Constitutional Appeal, the government is taking into account the judgments already delivered by the Maltese Courts, as well as the declarations regarding Mr Meli’s health, considering the unique nature and legal complexities of the situation,” the statement reads.

Last Sunday, Meli’s parents, Lucienne and Chris spoke to MaltaToday about the distressing ordeal they were passing through.

According to Lucienne and Chris, Daniel has suffered from anxiety and depression for years, conditions that were exacerbated by his arrest. “He was in a bad state for years before the arrest, and he was certified as such,” Lucienne had said.

Adding to the family's frustration is the fact that Daniel’s alleged partner in crime, Prince Onyeoziri Odinakachi from Nigeria, featured alongside him in the United States-issued arrest warrant.

However, despite Odinakachi’s extradition was also requested by the US, the Nigerian authorities instead chose to prosecute the case themselves. He was later found guilty and is currently serving seven years in a Nigerian prison. 

The contrast in how the two cases were handled has left the Meli family questioning why the Maltese government did not choose a similar path for their son.

Lucienne had expressed deep concern about her son's well-being if he is sent to the United States, particularly regarding his access to necessary medication for arthritis and mental health treatment.

The family publicly appealed to the Maltese government to intervene and at the very least allow their son to serve time in Malta rather than the US, if found guilty.