Trump swaps bitcoin fraud suspect Alexander Vinnik for US teacher
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump has swapped Russian computer whiz Alexander Vinnik for the release of American teacher Marc Fogel, the New York Post confirmed.
Fogel, who was serving a 14-year sentence in Russia for carrying medically prescribed marijuana, was released during a visit by US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
In exchange, the US released Vinnik, who was arrested on charges of laundering billions through Bitcoin.
Family reaction
Fogel's family expresses relief, Vinnik's background revealed
Vinnik worked at BTC-e, a Russian cryptocurrency exchange, from 2011 to 2017. The US Justice Department said that BTC-e was one of the main ways that cybercriminals transferred, cleaned, and stored the proceeds of their illegal activity.
Vinnik was arrested in 2017 while vacationing in Greece and extradited to the US.
He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering in May 2024 in a San Francisco federal court.
Legal proceedings
Vinnik's arrest and extradition requests
In 2018, he protested his detention with a three-month-long hunger strike.
His trial began in San Francisco on August 5, 2022, where he was faced with a 21-count superseding indictment from January 2017.
Last month, his mother, Vera Vinnik, said he had hoped that the new Trump administration could secure her son's release.
Plea bargain
Trump welcomed home Fogel
Meanwhile, Trump welcomed home Fogel after he was released.
Standing alongside Fogel, Trump said the release was a "show of good faith" from the Russians and that it "could be a big important part" of ending Russia's war in Ukraine.
Trump said another American is scheduled to be released, but he did not specify.
There are still a handful of Americans held in Russia, and at least two have been identified as wrongfully detained—Stephen Hubbard and Russian-American citizen Ksenia Karelina.