Andean Medjedovic, a young Canadian accused of stealing millions in cryptocurrency, disappeared after his release from custody in Serbia. Authorities believe he may now be hiding in neighboring Bosnia. The case highlights challenges in tracking digital criminals across borders.
Andean Medjedovic, a Hamilton native who graduated high school at 14 and earned a master's in mathematics at 18, vanished from Canada in late 2021. He faces allegations of exploiting vulnerabilities in crypto platforms, including a $16.5 million US theft from Indexed Finance and a $48 million US hack on KyberSwap in 2023, totaling around $65 million US.
Medjedovic's travels post-disappearance included Brazil, Dubai, Spain, and the Netherlands. Dutch authorities issued a European arrest warrant on December 11, 2023, claiming he executed the KyberSwap hack from a hotel in The Hague using a fake Slovak passport. He allegedly sent a message to KyberSwap demanding control of the platform in exchange for returning half the funds, leading to U.S. extortion charges unsealed in early 2025.
Arrested in Belgrade, Serbia, on August 9, 2024, under the alias Lorenzo, Medjedovic spent 105 days in custody. He denied the accusations, stating he wished to stay in Serbia to start a family. The Belgrade Higher Court rejected extradition to the Netherlands, citing insufficient proof and light potential sentences.
A U.S. Department of Justice filing on January 17, 2025, noted Medjedovic was believed at large in Bosnia, where he has family ties and had applied for a passport using a Sarajevo address. While imprisoned, over $6 million US in linked crypto was moved to a mixer like Tornado Cash. Experts like Kyle Armstrong from TRM Labs warn that laundering such funds requires flawless obfuscation.
Medjedovic's online taunts, including racist code elements, and rejection of bug bounties set him apart from typical hackers. "He may be able to live large," Armstrong said, but cashing out remains risky. As of early 2025, some dormant funds linked to the hacks began moving but stalled.
