The suspected mastermind behind the theft of $2 million worth of bitcoin mining equipment said he escaped an Icelandic prison after his jail term expired.
Sindri Thor Stefansson escaped from a minimum-security prison in rural southern Iceland on April 17.
He boarded the flight from the international airport in Keflavik using a ticket under someone else's name. Flying within Europe's Schengen travel zone is passport-free.
He was not noticed until the flight was in the air. An international warrant has been issued for his arrest.
Stefansson and 10 others were arrested in February suspected of involvement in what was dubbed by local media as the "Big Bitcoin Heist."
In four separate heists, 600 bitcoin mining computers from data centers around Iceland were stolen and have yet to be found.
At the time of the thefts, Icelandic police said Stefansson was suspected to be the kingpin of the apparent highly organized crime.
Stefansson was transferred to Sogn open prison earlier this month.
In a mail sent to Icelandic newspaper Frettabladid, Stefansson alleged he was held in custody with no evidence for months. When his remand term expired on April 16, police sought extension of his custody by another 10 days, but a judge deferred that decision for another day. And Stefansson claimed that he broke the jail when he was legally free to go.
"I simply refuse to be in prison of my own will, especially when the police threatens to arrest me without explanation," Stefansson was quoted as saying.
It is not known where Stefansson is currently hiding, but police suspect that he is in Spain, Frettabladid reports.
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