Parents of hacker facing US extradition plead for son to serve sentence in Malta
Family of Daniel Meli, who lost an appeal against extradition to the United States over illegal sales of malware products, plead for government intervention so their son can serve jail in Malta, not in the US
The parents of a Maltese citizen facing extradition to the United States are pleading with the Maltese authorities to intervene so that their son can serve time in Malta.
In an interview with MaltaToday, parents Lucienne and Chris detailed the distressing journey their family endured since the arrest of Daniel Joe Meli in February 2024, in connection with the sale of illegal malware on the dark web.
Meli’s extradition had been requested by the Northern District of Georgia following his indictment in December 2023, for computer access, damage and interception-related offences. US prosecutors accuse Meli of having offered malware products and services, amongst them the Pegasus remote access trojan (RAT), for sale to cybercriminals through online computer-hacking forums “since at least 2012.”
Meli was arrested in an operation that had been coordinated by the Malta Police Force and the Office of the Attorney General of Malta, with the support of the FBI and Justice Department.
But when Meli was arraigned on 9 February, he consented to the extradition request.
The strange request was later appealed after Meli changed his lawyers, but a judge turned down the appeal.
In a constitutional application, Meli emphasised his long medical history and mental health problems, which had led to several hospital admissions and stays at mental health facilities.
According to Lucienne and her husband 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 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.
While Odinakachi’s extradition was also requested by the Northern District of Georgia, 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 Lucienne Meli questioning why the Maltese government did not choose a similar path for her son. She noted that Odinakachi’s sentence is a far cry from what her son could be facing if found guilty on all counts in the US. Daniel could serve up to 45 years in an American prison, apart from a $500,000 fine.
With Meli’s extradition possibly just days away, the family has been left in a state of uncertainty and fear.
Lucienne 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.
She was particularly concerned about the lack of details about the coming weeks, noting that they had not been informed which prison Daniel could spend decades in, if found guilty. The couple said they could only imagine what limited access to healthcare their son would have in this situation.
The family is holding onto a final hope: a potential appeal by the Maltese government that could allow Daniel to serve his sentence in Malta instead of the United States. “We hope the government understands that there is a case to be made for Daniel to serve time in Malta, not the United States, if he is found guilty” Lucienne said.
As the clock ticks, Daniel Meli’s family continues to fight, hoping for a resolution that will keep him close to home and allow him to receive the care and support he needs.
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