White House Verifies Exchange of Prisoners with Russia
Russian crypto entrepreneur and programmer Aleksandr Vinnik has been freed from a US prison as part of a prisoner swap with Moscow. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Aleksandr Vinnik, a Russian computer programmer and cryptocurrency businessman, has been released from a US prison as part of a prisoner swap with Moscow, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt's confirmation on Wednesday.
Vinnik's attorney, Frederic Belot, informed TASS on Wednesday night that he had received “confirmation from the Department of State” regarding his client's release. During a press briefing at the White House, Leavitt characterized the exchange as a “very good deal for the United States of America and for the rest of the world.”
“As you know, we have confirmed that the Russian will be returning home very soon,” the spokeswoman commented, referring to Vinnik as a “nonviolent crypto criminal” who “has forfeited more than $100 million” as part of the deal.
“And in exchange, of course, we got Marc Fogel, who is a middle school teacher who kissed the American soil, kissed the ground last night when he returned to the United States of America,” she added.
While the exchange is not expected to lead to a significant improvement in US-Russian relations, it may help gradually rebuild trust, as stated by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov earlier in the day.
Vinnik was arrested in Greece in 2017 amid multiple extradition requests from Russia, the US, and France for various charges including hacking, fraud, and money laundering. After being extradited to France in 2020, he ultimately found himself in US custody two years later. Vinnik pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering in May 2024 and has consistently expressed a preference to face charges in Russia to remain close to his family.
Marc Fogel, a former teacher at an elite Anglo-American school in Moscow, was arrested while traveling through Sheremetyevo Airport in August 2021, after authorities discovered marijuana and hashish oil in his belongings. At that time, he had lost his diplomatic immunity due to his previous role at the US Embassy in Russia and was later sentenced to 14 years in prison for allegedly trying to establish a drug trafficking route.
Mathilde Moreau contributed to this report for TROIB News
Vinnik's attorney, Frederic Belot, informed TASS on Wednesday night that he had received “confirmation from the Department of State” regarding his client's release. During a press briefing at the White House, Leavitt characterized the exchange as a “very good deal for the United States of America and for the rest of the world.”
“As you know, we have confirmed that the Russian will be returning home very soon,” the spokeswoman commented, referring to Vinnik as a “nonviolent crypto criminal” who “has forfeited more than $100 million” as part of the deal.
“And in exchange, of course, we got Marc Fogel, who is a middle school teacher who kissed the American soil, kissed the ground last night when he returned to the United States of America,” she added.
While the exchange is not expected to lead to a significant improvement in US-Russian relations, it may help gradually rebuild trust, as stated by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov earlier in the day.
Vinnik was arrested in Greece in 2017 amid multiple extradition requests from Russia, the US, and France for various charges including hacking, fraud, and money laundering. After being extradited to France in 2020, he ultimately found himself in US custody two years later. Vinnik pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering in May 2024 and has consistently expressed a preference to face charges in Russia to remain close to his family.
Marc Fogel, a former teacher at an elite Anglo-American school in Moscow, was arrested while traveling through Sheremetyevo Airport in August 2021, after authorities discovered marijuana and hashish oil in his belongings. At that time, he had lost his diplomatic immunity due to his previous role at the US Embassy in Russia and was later sentenced to 14 years in prison for allegedly trying to establish a drug trafficking route.
Mathilde Moreau contributed to this report for TROIB News
