A Canadian man accused of being part of a Russian group that infamously hacked Yahoo Inc. in 2014 has made his first appearance in court to apply for bail prior to his extradition hearing.

Karim Baratov, 22, was one of four people indicted U.S. Department of Justice in March, is accused of working for alleged Russian intelligence agents Igor Suschin and Dmitry Dokuchaev in using stolen information. The data was allegedly used to obtain unauthorized access to the contents of accounts at Yahoo, Google Inc. and other webmail providers, including accounts of Russian journalists, U.S. and Russian government officials and private-sector employees of financial, transportation and other companies.

The Canadian press had fun with Baratov’s court experience; one media outlet even went as far as to describe in depth what he wore to court. But the hearing itself was far more serious, with the Office of the Attorney General of Canada arguing that because of his access to large sums of money, Baratov represented a serious flight risk.

Baratov, who claimed to make money by registering websites, renting web spaces and preventing web servers from hack attempts, is said to own a Lamborghini, a Porsche 911, an Aston Martin and a number of other luxury vehicles. He was also found to have $30,000 ($22,323 USD) in his possession at his time of arrest, despite his income tax return claiming that he only earned $60,000 ($44,646 USD) the previous year.

At his bail hearing, Baratov’s lawyer said that the allegations against his client were unfounded and argued that his client poses no flight risk. Baratov’s father, Akhmet Tokbergenov, who also addressed the court through an interpreter, said that his son didn’t work for Russians or any government, adding that the reason the family had left their native Kazakhstan to begin with was persecution by “Russian special authorities.”

Tokbergenov said that he was willing to post all the equity in his own home, about $845,000 ($629,000 USD) for his son’s bail and that he would make sure he doesn’t flee, adding that “I will create such conditions that maybe even jail will look like paradise to him.”

Baratov remains in custody, with the bail hearing set to resume on April 11.

Photo: Karim Baratov/Facebook