Ex-UN Official Faces Extradition to US on Bribery Charges

Spain's High Court has approved the extradition of former UN official Vitaly Vanshelboim to the US, where he faces charges of bribery and money laundering. Arrested in March in Spain, Vanshelboim is accused of accepting bribes and misusing UN funds. He claims political motivation behind the charges.

Spain's High Court has mandated the extradition of former senior UN official Vitaly Vanshelboim to the United States, where he faces accusations of bribery and money laundering, as per a court document reviewed by Reuters.

Vanshelboim, a Ukrainian national who served in prominent roles at the UN Office for Project Services, was arrested in Spain in March following an international warrant from New York's Southern District Court. He allegedly accepted at least $2 million in bribes, channeling over $60 million in UN grants to companies linked to a British businessman.

Despite his admission of unauthorized financial ties in a UN dispute tribunal, Vanshelboim argues the charges are politically motivated, linked to his writings on US interventions. The Spanish court found merit for extradition on bribery, wire fraud, and money laundering, but conspiracy charges were exempt due to Spanish legal definitions.

(With inputs from agencies.)