A Russian cybercriminal and crypto fraudster is set to return to Moscow as part of a prisoner swap that on Tuesday facilitated the return of American Marc Fogel, who had spent over three years in Russian detention.
In 2024, Alexander Vinnik pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. The 45-year-old was the operator of BTC-e, once among the largest cryptocurrency exchanges globally. Prosecutors indicated that BTC-e served as a significant resource for criminals seeking to transfer or wash money. They reported that BTC-e accumulated $121 million through various illicit activities including “numerous computer intrusions, hacking incidents, ransomware attacks, identity theft schemes, corrupt public officials, and narcotics distribution networks.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Vinnik would be swapped for Fogel as he makes his way back to Russia.
“Vinnik was a nonviolent crypto criminal, and as part of this exchange, he has forfeited more than $100 million that he acquired from these illegal activities,” Leavitt stated.
Vinnik was apprehended in Greece in 2017, during the early months of President Trump’s first term. A report from British cryptocurrency analysis firm Elliptic claimed in 2020 that BTC-e might have been used to finance cyber attacks in 2015 and 2016 aimed at the Democratic National Committee.
The utilization of cryptocurrency for funding Russian cyber attacks was detailed in a report by special counsel Robert Mueller III, who examined the country’s attempts to interfere in the 2016 election. However, Mueller’s investigation did not uncover any coordination between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.
Vinnik has since become a part of a series of negotiations leading to prisoner exchanges between the United States and Russia.
He was scheduled to be sentenced in June 2025.
According to CBS News, Alameda County Santa Rita jail, where Vinnik had been confined, reported that he was released from custody on February 10.
Vinnik’s legal team informed CBS News in a statement that a recent hearing occurred in federal court, but they were unable to provide further details.
“We can only emphasize that a professional legal defense, solid political analysis, and effective lobbying strategies can sometimes substantially influence the trajectory of events,” remarked Vinnik’s lawyer. “Sentencing in this case has been postponed multiple times, largely due to the political environment, where certain administrative changes might benefit our client.”
His lawyer had previously confirmed that he remained in the U.S.
In a court filing in 2023, Vinnik’s lawyers claimed that at one point, the U.S. had proposed trading Vinnik for basketball star Brittney Griner, “but the exchange took a different direction.”
Eventually, a deal was made for an American who had also observed others from his country being sent home in successive exchanges. Marc Fogel, a schoolteacher who had been detained in Russia since 2021, touched down on U.S. soil late Tuesday night.
The 63-year-old, whose family had persistently fought for his release, was welcomed at the White House, where he met with Mr. Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and other prominent figures.
