BULLETIN: United States Seeks To Extradite Pathway To Prosperity’s Nick Smirnow From Philippines

The U.S. government “shortly” will request the government of the Philippines to extradite accused HYIP Ponzi schemer Nicholas Smirnow to the United States to face charges of mail fraud (three counts), wire fraud (four counts), securities fraud (one count) and conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, securities fraud and money laundering, federal prosecutors said.

It was not immediately clear if Smirnow had been arrested and detained in the Philippines, but prosecutors listed a Philippines’ address for him. No precise timetable for the extradition was laid out early this afternoon on a website prosecutors established for victims.

Smirnow, 53, formerly of Baysville, Ontario, Canada, is accused of operating a global Ponzi scheme through his company, Pathway To Prosperity (P2P). More than $70 million was lost in the scheme, prosecutors said.

A message left at the office of U.S. Attorney A. Courtney Cox to clarify whether Smirnow had been arrested was not immediately returned.

Prosecutors have set up a web page for victims here.