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In response to the release of former American diplomat Mark Vogel from a Russian prison, the US authorities released one of the founders and head of the BTC-e crypto exchange, Alexander Vinnik.
Recall that Vinnik was arrested in Greece, where he flew on vacation in 2017, for participating in the work of the BTC-e cryptocurrency exchange. At that time, the US authorities demanded his extradition and stated that Vinnik used BTC-e as a front company for money laundering operations, knowingly receiving funds from hacks and other forms of cybercrime, as well as helping fraudsters convert stolen funds into fiat.
The official statement of the US Department of Justice said that Vinnik not only led the criminal group since 2011 and laundered more than $ 4 billion in cryptocurrency through BTC-e, but was also involved, if not in the robbery of the Mt. Gox exchange itself, then at least in laundering the stolen funds.
However, Vinnik's arrest was followed by lengthy legal proceedings. The fact is that as soon as Vinnik's arrest became known, the Russian authorities also filed an extradition request, claiming that Vinnik is a suspect in another case and has been accused of fraud in the amount of 9,500 euros since 2013.
As a result, the dispute over Vinnik's extradition dragged on for a long time and was further complicated by the fact that the French authorities also filed their own request for his extradition, stating that they intend to try Vinnik on 14 charges related to money laundering and hacking. Initially,
Vinnik's lawyers even won the case, and in 2018 the court decided to extradite him to Russia, but due to serious political pressure from officials from both Russia and the United States, in the spring of 2020 the Greek authorities decided to hand Vinnik over to the French authorities.
As a result, the trial in France was not crowned with significant success. Of the 14 charges brought forward, only one was proven, and the rest of the Europol evidence was successfully challenged by the defendant's lawyers. As a result, Alexander Vinnik was sentenced to five years in prison and a fine of 100,000 euros for laundering money for cybercriminals.
Since the American authorities did not give up their attempts to extradite Vinnik, in August 2022 he was again taken to Greece, and from there he was sent to the United States.
Although not a single court hearing on Vinnik’s case has taken place in the United States over the past years (all sessions were technical), in May 2024 he made a deal with the investigation and partially admitted guilt in money laundering. According to his lawyers, he faced less than 10 years in prison, although initially they were talking about almost 200 years in prison if found guilty on all counts. The sentencing was scheduled for June 2025.
This week it became known, that US President Donald Trump agreed to release Alexander Vinnik in exchange for the release of former diplomat Mark Fogel, who was convicted in Russia. In 2022, Fogel, a former teacher at the Anglo-American School and previously an employee of the US Embassy in Moscow, was sentenced to 14 years in a maximum security penal colony for drug smuggling. Fogel has now returned to the US.
As Vinnik's lawyer Frederic Belo soon reported, a court hearing was held on February 11, as a result of which his client's case in the US was finally closed.
Late in the evening of February 13, 2025, a US Air Force plane with Alexander Vinnik on board arrived in Russia and landed at Vnukovo Airport.
[td]"I want to thank everyone. The President first of all. Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. Lavrov, our chief diplomat. Everyone. All diplomats. All special services. Everyone, all people, lawyers, all relatives and friends. Everyone, everyone. And especially my family. What do I want to say? And I can also thank Trump. Well, in general, without him, it probably would have been difficult," RIA Novosti quotes Vinnik as saying.[/td]
Recall that Vinnik was arrested in Greece, where he flew on vacation in 2017, for participating in the work of the BTC-e cryptocurrency exchange. At that time, the US authorities demanded his extradition and stated that Vinnik used BTC-e as a front company for money laundering operations, knowingly receiving funds from hacks and other forms of cybercrime, as well as helping fraudsters convert stolen funds into fiat.
The official statement of the US Department of Justice said that Vinnik not only led the criminal group since 2011 and laundered more than $ 4 billion in cryptocurrency through BTC-e, but was also involved, if not in the robbery of the Mt. Gox exchange itself, then at least in laundering the stolen funds.
However, Vinnik's arrest was followed by lengthy legal proceedings. The fact is that as soon as Vinnik's arrest became known, the Russian authorities also filed an extradition request, claiming that Vinnik is a suspect in another case and has been accused of fraud in the amount of 9,500 euros since 2013.
As a result, the dispute over Vinnik's extradition dragged on for a long time and was further complicated by the fact that the French authorities also filed their own request for his extradition, stating that they intend to try Vinnik on 14 charges related to money laundering and hacking. Initially,
Vinnik's lawyers even won the case, and in 2018 the court decided to extradite him to Russia, but due to serious political pressure from officials from both Russia and the United States, in the spring of 2020 the Greek authorities decided to hand Vinnik over to the French authorities.
As a result, the trial in France was not crowned with significant success. Of the 14 charges brought forward, only one was proven, and the rest of the Europol evidence was successfully challenged by the defendant's lawyers. As a result, Alexander Vinnik was sentenced to five years in prison and a fine of 100,000 euros for laundering money for cybercriminals.
Since the American authorities did not give up their attempts to extradite Vinnik, in August 2022 he was again taken to Greece, and from there he was sent to the United States.
Although not a single court hearing on Vinnik’s case has taken place in the United States over the past years (all sessions were technical), in May 2024 he made a deal with the investigation and partially admitted guilt in money laundering. According to his lawyers, he faced less than 10 years in prison, although initially they were talking about almost 200 years in prison if found guilty on all counts. The sentencing was scheduled for June 2025.
This week it became known, that US President Donald Trump agreed to release Alexander Vinnik in exchange for the release of former diplomat Mark Fogel, who was convicted in Russia. In 2022, Fogel, a former teacher at the Anglo-American School and previously an employee of the US Embassy in Moscow, was sentenced to 14 years in a maximum security penal colony for drug smuggling. Fogel has now returned to the US.
As Vinnik's lawyer Frederic Belo soon reported, a court hearing was held on February 11, as a result of which his client's case in the US was finally closed.
Late in the evening of February 13, 2025, a US Air Force plane with Alexander Vinnik on board arrived in Russia and landed at Vnukovo Airport.