Italy extradites alleged Chinese hacker accused of spying during COVID-19 to US

Italy has extradited Xu Zewei, a Chinese national accused by the FBI of hacking US government entities and vaccine research institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Xu was arrested at Milan's Malpensa airport in July 2025 and has been held in prison near Milan since then.

Italian police stated that Xu is suspected of acting on behalf of the Chinese government.

He is alleged to have led a hacking group known as Hafnium, which targeted tens of thousands of Microsoft Exchange email servers in 2021 by exploiting software vulnerabilities.

The FBI accuses Xu and his associates of infiltrating US research institutes and universities involved in vaccine development in 2020 and 2021.

The operation was conducted under a warrant from Texas, with Italian authorities highlighting strong cooperation with the FBI.

Xu denies the accusations, claiming he may be a victim of mistaken identity.

He expressed concerns about facing an unfair trial and potential mistreatment in the United States during a court hearing.

This extradition underscores ongoing international efforts to combat cybercrime and highlights the geopolitical tensions surrounding cyber espionage linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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