Sketchy Alexander Gurevich, aka "Block," Accused of $190M Nomad Bridge Hack
Criminal Suspect Apprehended in Israel Over $190M Crypto Heist: Potential Deportation to United States for Alleged Hacking of Nomad Bridge
Snag this lowdown on Alexander Gurevich, a Russian-Israeli scoundrel who reportedly orchestrated one of the most crippling DeFi exploits recently: the August 2022 Nomad bridge heist. Dubbed as "Alexander Block," this crook allegedly found a critical flaw in Nomad's smart contracts, making off with a cool $2.89 million in digital assets. His reckless actions, however, exposed the vulnerability for all to prey upon, sparking an uncontrollable frenzy among opportunistic copycat hackers, ultimately accounting for a staggering $190 million in losses[3][4][5].
This heist differed from most in its paralyzing chaos. Once the weakness in the blockchain bridge's code was exposed, other crackpots—with minimal tech know-how—could easily copy and paste successful transactions, replacing wallet addresses with their own, and swipe funds from the protocol. Blockchain data pinpointed 88 unique wallets involved in the copycat exploitation, collectively withdrawing a hefty sum of about $88 million[5]. Some of these entities turned out to be ethical hackers who later returned portions of the stolen funds[5].
The Catch
Gurevich's magical escape act was foiled at Israel's Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport on May 1, 2025, as he tried to hop on a flight to Russia with a visa under a fake identity. He had recently swapped his name in Israel's Population Registry from Alexander Gurevich to "Alexander Block" and secured a passport under this new alias[3][4]. Israeli authorities arrested him at the behest of US officials, who sought Gurevich's extradition for suspected participation in several computer crimes, including money laundering and handling ill-gotten gains associated with the Nomad breach[3][4].
Stateside, Gurevich faces harsher charges than in Israel. Locked up for up to 10 years and fined up to a quarter of a million dollars for each of five computer-related counts, it's neither cheese nor wine[4]. Meanwhile, Israeli law restricts offenders to a maximum of three years in the slammer[4]. Extradition proceedings are in full swing, hinting at an international crackdown on crypto deceit[3][4].
In a Nutshell
| Aspect | Details ||---------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| Real Name | Alexander Gurevich, aka "Alexander Block" or "Block" || Nationality | Russian-Israeli || Role in Heist | Initial exploit, stole ~$2.89M, triggered ~$190M loss || Method of Operation | Exploited smart contract flaw; copied by dozens of copycats; chaotic mass withdrawal || Pocketed Assets | USDC, wrapped Bitcoin, wrapped Ethereum || Arrest Date/Location | May 1, 2025, Ben Gurion Airport, Israel || Legal Charges | Money laundering, computer crime (US); extradition underway || Potential Sentences | Up to 10 years per count in US; max 3 years in Israel || Special Circumstances | Hack became a "free-for-all" due to easy replication of exploit |
- Alexander Gurevich, also known as "Alexander Block" or "Block," is a Russian-Israeli accused of perpetrating one of the most significant DeFi exploits, the August 2022 Nomad bridge heist, where he allegedly found a critical flaw in Nomad's smart contracts and made off with $2.89 million in cryptocurrency.
- His actions exposed a vulnerability that allowed other hackers to copy and paste successful transactions, causing an uncontrollable frenzy leading to a staggering $190 million in losses.
- Gurevich's escape was foiled at Israel's Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport on May 1, 2025, where he was arrested under a false identity while trying to board a flight to Russia.
- Gurevich faces harsher charges in the United States, including money laundering and computer crime, with potential sentences of up to 10 years per count, whereas Israeli law restricts offenders to a maximum of three years in prison.
- Extradition proceedings are ongoing, suggesting an international crackdown on criminal activities involving cryptocurrency and other digital assets in the realm of finance, cybersecurity, and general news, particularly crime and justice.
- The heist became a "free-for-all" due to the easy replication of the exploit, involving assets such as USDC, wrapped Bitcoin, and wrapped Ethereum.
