Hex founder Richard Heart detained in Istanbul on Interpol Red Notice
CIE News ·
Turkish authorities have detained Hex founder Richard Heart in Istanbul on an Interpol Red Notice issued at Finland's request for aggravated tax fraud, according to a report cited by Decrypt.
Turkish law enforcement has detained Richard Heart, the founder of the Hex cryptocurrency, in Istanbul under an Interpol Red Notice, Decrypt reported on October 14, 2026. The morning operation was conducted by Istanbul police and Turkey's National Intelligence Organization after surveillance of an address in the Beşiktaş district, where Heart was detained alongside his wife.
During the search, officers confiscated a dozen mobile phones, multiple laptops, graphics cards, two drones, firearms including rifles and pistols, gold bracelets, and cash in multiple currencies. The Interpol Red Notice was originally requested by Finland in 2024 and cites an aggravated tax fraud charge, while Finnish authorities have also sought Heart over an alleged assault.
It is not yet clear whether Finnish officials have submitted a formal extradition request to Turkey. Heart previously faced an unregistered securities offering lawsuit by the SEC involving Hex, PulseChain, and PulseX, which a federal judge dismissed for lack of jurisdiction in February 2025.