Russia releases Israeli-Canadian pilot wanted by US

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A Russian court on Saturday released Israeli-Canadian citizen Joshua Cartu, who was arrested earlier this week at the request of the United States for alleged financial crimes.

Dubbed the “Ferrari fugitive,” the racing driver and entrepreneur was accused, along with his brothers, of defrauding investors of millions of dollars.

He was arrested on Monday by the Russian Interpol unit at Pulkovo airport in St. Petersburg after being declared “wanted” by the United States.

The Moskovsky District Court of St. Petersburg decided to “terminate proceedings” against Cartu, saying that Russian authorities had not received an official extradition request.

Russia does not have an extradition treaty with the United States, but the two countries exchanged prisoners last month in a major swap.

A court detained him earlier this week because, as an Israeli citizen, he could travel freely outside Russia.

The St. Petersburg court's press service said Cartu was the subject of an Interpol red notice over accusations that he was part of a group that defrauded investors in the United States of about $60 million between 2013 and 2017.

In 2021, the U.S. government filed a fraud complaint against Cartu and others, including his brothers, David and Jonathan, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Cartu's Instagram and Facebook accounts are followed by hundreds of thousands of people and feature glossy images of a luxurious lifestyle with racing cars.

In interviews with British media, he has described himself as a racing car and technology entrepreneur with his own fleet of Ferraris.

Canada's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday it was “aware of an arrest involving a Canadian in Russia” and had offered consular assistance.

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