MOSCOW, July 10 (RAPSI) – Russia’s Justice Ministry could request the transfer of Roman Seleznev to Russia if he is found guilty in the United States, RIA Novosti learned at the ministry’s press service.

Moscow-born Roman Seleznev, 30, has been charged with hacking into retail cash register systems to install malicious software to steal credit card numbers and with operating servers and international carding forum websites to facilitate the theft and sale of stolen credit card data. He was arrested on the Maldive Islands and taken to Guam for an initial court hearing on July 22.

If Seleznev is convicted, he could spend up to 30 years in prison and could be fined up to $3 million.

Seleznev is the son of Valery Seleznev, a State Duma deputy from the Liberal Democratic Party.  The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Roman Seleznev’s arrest outside the United States and his transfer to the US was “an unfriendly move.”

According to the Justice Ministry’s press service, the ministry is responsible for issues related to the transfer of Russian nationals sentenced to imprisonment in foreign countries for serving their sentences at home. The ministry will not request Seleznev’s transfer unless he is convicted in the US.

“If this individual receives a prison sentence in the United States and subsequently requests a transfer to Russia personally or through an authorized representative, the Justice Ministry will be able to take the requisite measures under the 1983 Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons,” a ministry representative said.

The Justice Ministry previously requested the transfer of two Russian nationals – Konstantin Yaroshenko and Viktor Bout. Both requests were denied.