A Chinese national, Xu Zewei, 34, is extradited to the United States from Italy over allegations tied to the “Silk Typhoon” hacking group. Multiple reports state that Italian authorities arrested Xu in July 2025 based on alleged links to a China-linked threat actor described as state-directed and connected to Silk Typhoon. U.S. allegations, as summarized by the outlets, focus on cyber intrusions targeting American organizations and government entities between February 2020 and June 2021. The reporting also characterizes the alleged activity as related to research and information collection connected to COVID-19, describing it as “COVID research” or “COVID-19 espionage.”
The sources say the extradition process is linked to claims that the activity was directed or supported by China-linked state security structures, and that Xu played a role in coordinating or conducting the attacks. The reports do not indicate the outcome of the case or provide details on defenses or evidence presented in court. The extradition means Xu is now set to face U.S. proceedings for the alleged cyber conduct.
