Evan Neumann
Born (1972-06-22) June 22, 1972 (age 51)
Santa Rosa, California, U.S.
CitizenshipUnited States
Known forFleeing US for Belarus

Evan Neumann (born June 22, 1972) is an American software developer who fled the US following his alleged activities during the 2021 United States Capitol attack and was granted permanent refugee status in Belarus.

Fearing extradition by the Ukrainian authorities, he fled Ukraine for Belarus where he sought and obtained political asylum. Belarus does not have an extradition treaty with the US.[1]

Neumann pleaded no contest to 2018 charges for crossing police lines to access his mother's fire-damaged home in the aftermath of the Tubbs Fire.

Early life

Neumann was born on June 22, 1972, to father Claus Neumann, a Santa Rosa hotelier who owned the Los Robles Lodge and Hotel La Rose.[2][3]

Personal life and career

Neumann lived in Mill Valley before fleeing to Europe.[4] He works as a freelance software developer.[2]

He has been granted two patents from the USPTO since his departure from the United States.[5][6]

He has a brother named Mark.[7]

Tubbs Fire

Neumann was arrested in 2018 when crossing police lines to access his mother's fire-damaged home in Fountain Grove, California,[7] following the Tubbs Fire.[2] He pleaded no contest at his subsequent trial[8] where he represented himself.[9] He was sentenced to 40 hours of community service and two years probation.[8]

2021 United States Capitol attack

The US Justice Department stated that Neumann confronted police at the 2021 United States Capitol attack and asked them: "I'm willing to die, are you?"[4] In 2022, NPR quoted the federal indictment against him: "he broke down barricades and used his fists and the metal object to strike officers. He allegedly assaulted at least four different officers over the course of several hours".[4]

Following the attack, Neumann fled to Ukraine to escape arrest by the FBI.[1]

In August 2021, Neumann was concerned that Ukrainian authorities were tracking him and he crossed into Belarus by foot near Pinsk[10] where he sought asylum, claiming he was facing "political persecution" in the US.[1]

In November 2021, he was interviewed on Belarusian state-owned television channel Belarus 1 and rejected the charges against him.[11][1]

On December 10, 2021, a grand jury indicted him for fourteen offences including assaulting a police officer, and violent entry.[12]

In March 2022, Neumann was granted asylum by the Belarusian government.[13] He is living in Brest.[1]

Neumann is an FBI most wanted fugitive.[14]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Evan Neumann: US Capitol riot suspect gets asylum in Belarus". BBC News. 2022-03-23. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  2. ^ a b c "Santa Rosa brothers face jail for returning to family's burned home". Santa Rosa Press Democrat. 2018-01-11. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  3. ^ "EVAN NEUMANN". Federal Bureau of Investigation. Retrieved 2022-06-07.
  4. ^ a b c Chappell, Bill (2022-03-23). "A Jan. 6 Capitol riot suspect wanted by the FBI was granted refugee status in Belarus". NPR. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  5. ^ "US Patent Number 11,122,877". Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  6. ^ "US Patent Number 10,968,579". Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  7. ^ a b KGO (2018-01-12). "North Bay fire victims face jail time for refusing to abandon mother's home in Fountaingrove". ABC7 San Francisco. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  8. ^ a b "Man accused of skirting fire barricade faces probation after plea deal". Santa Rosa Press Democrat. 2018-01-19. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  9. ^ "Brothers charged after entering fire evacuation area to retrieve mother's belongings". KTVU FOX 2. 2018-01-17. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  10. ^ Kwai, Isabella; Safronova, Valeriya (2022-03-23). "California Man Accused in Capitol Riot Granted Asylum in Belarus". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  11. ^ "US man charged in Capitol attack gets asylum in Belarus". the Guardian. Associated Press. 2022-03-23. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  12. ^ "UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA". 10 December 2021.
  13. ^ "Evan Neumann: US Capitol riot suspect gets asylum in Belarus". BBC News. 2022-03-23. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  14. ^ "EVAN NEUMANN". Federal Bureau of Investigation. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
Categories