UPDATE - US Transfers Jailed Russian Nikulin To Los Angeles For Psychiatric Evaluation - Lawyer

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 13th December, 2018) Authorities in the United States have transferred Russian national Yevgeniy Nikulin to Los Angeles for psychiatric evaluation before proceeding with his trial on charges related to hacking, his lawyer Arkady Bukh told Sputnik.

"At this time, Nikulin was transferred to the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Los Angeles for psychiatric evaluation, as per court order," Bukh said on Wednesday.

The lawyer said he anticipates that MDC will provide its report by the beginning of February 2019. He also noted that the next court hearing on Nikulin's case is scheduled on February 12, 2019.

The US District Court for the Northern District of California ordered the evaluation to determine whether Nikulin is mentally fit to stand trial.

The court previously determined that there is reasonable cause to believe that Nikulin "may presently be suffering from a mental disease or defect rendering him mentally incompetent to the extent that he is unable to understand the nature and consequences of the proceedings against him or to assist properly in his defense," according to the order.

Nikulin was transferred on Sunday, Bukh said.

"We were in contact with his supervisor in MDC, his condition is good," the lawyer added.

The court ordered Nikulin's transfer to MDC in Los Angeles because he needs a Russian speaking psychiatrist, Bukh explained.

Nikulin was arrested in October 2016 in the Czech Republic and extradited to the United States, where he is accused of hacking into computers belonging to LinkedIn, Dropbox and the Formspring online services.

Russian authorities, who charged Nikulin with internet fraud in 2009, requested his extradition on the same day as the United States, but the Czech Justice Ministry granted the US request.

Nikulin has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.