Amit Forlit, an Israeli private investigator wanted by the United States for allegedly conducting a "hacking for hire" campaign, appeared in a London court today, as he

prepares to fight his extradition to the US next year.

Forlit faces charges of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, computer hacking, and aiding and abetting these offences, according to court records.

The 56-year-old was arrested at London’s Heathrow Airport in April while attempting to board a flight to Israel. An initial extradition attempt was dismissed on a legal technicality. Forlit was later rearrested on the same charges and released on bail after surrendering his passport and providing a security of £200,000 ($257,370).

Today, he appeared at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court, where it was scheduled that the full hearing of his extradition challenge will take place in January.

Adam Payter, representing US authorities, stated that Forlit was allegedly involved in a "hacking for hire scheme" from 2012 to 2019. Forlit is accused of targeting numerous individuals and organizations to access confidential business and personal information worth millions of pounds.

Payter added that Forlit allegedly worked for an unnamed oil and gas company that aimed to discredit individuals involved in climate change litigation.

Forlit and his lawyer declined to comment after today’s hearing. In a deposition made public in 2022, Forlit stated he had "never commissioned hacking and never paid for hacking."

At a previous hearing in May, Amy Labram, a lawyer representing the US, said that a Washington-based PR and lobbying firm had paid one of Forlit’s companies £16 million ($20 million) "to gather intelligence relating to the Argentinian debt crisis." Photo by Santeri Viinamäki, Wikimedia commons.