Sacirbey denied allegations of any improper use of funds and said the entire affair was fabricated by political opponents in Bosnia and the United States. He also stated he spent up to $800,000 of his own money to cover Bosnia's diplomatic expenses. Although there was no indictment, formal charges or even formal investigation, on January 29, 2002, the BiH government formally asked the US to extradite Sacirbey. Sacirbey had offered to deliver himself should such be requested. However, he was arrested on March 25, 2003 at his home in Staten Island. Sacirbey spent the next sixteen months at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York. He was released on July 27, 2004 with a six-million-dollar bail, and the recommendation of the Bosnian Prime Minister who referred to Sacirbey as "an honorable person", whether or not allegations of abuse of office may have been accurate.