The U.S. is making plans to seek the extradition of Julian Assange from the U.K. in connection with sealed federal charges filed in the Eastern District of Virginia, a source directly familiar with the situation told NBC News.

The nature and extent of the criminal case is not clear, but the WikiLeaks founder has long maintained the U.S. would extradite him if he were to leave the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.

British police confirmed Assange had been arrested under an extradition warrant on behalf of the U.S.

He was taken into custody Thursday after spending almost seven years in the embassy, where he sought refuge after skipping bail while under investigation for sexual assault and rape in Sweden.

Full Story @ NBC News