The alleged operator of the BTC-e crypto exchange, Alexander Vinnik, may be a candidate for the US-Russia prisoner exchange. That is according to a statement by one of his lawyers to the Russian media. The latest court hearing in Vinnik’s case has been postponed.
Russian Accused of Laundering Billions Through Crypto Can Return Home, Lawyer Says
A lawyer for Alexander Vinnik, alleged operator of the infamous BTC-e cryptocurrency exchange, believes his client may be considered for a prisoner exchange between the United States and the Russian Federation.
David Rizk, who represents Vinnik in the US, commented on Vinnik’s possible return home in an interview with the RIA Novosti news agency, quoted by other Russian media and crypto news. “I wouldn’t rule out that possibility,” he said.
The Russian IT specialist has been in US custody since August last year, when he was extradited from Greece. US authorities accuse him of laundering at least $4 billion through the now-defunct coin trading platform. If convicted, the 43-year-old Russian faces up to 55 years in prison.
Alexander Vinnik was arrested while on vacation in Thessaloniki in 2017. Athens approved a US extradition request, but first handed him over to France, in December 2019, where he served a five-year sentence for money laundering before being returned to Greece. The French and Greek authorities have ignored Russia’s extradition requests.
In September 2022, another member of Vinnik’s defense team, French lawyer Frederic Belot, urged the Moscow government to add its citizen to a potential prisoner swap deal with Washington. In October, he too called on Russian patriarch Kirill to help “save” the crypto entrepreneur, whose health has been deteriorating after time in solitary confinement and a hunger strike.
In December, Russian media reported that Alexander Vinnik had applied for bail, citing the delay of his trial. Last week, a court hearing scheduled via video call was postponed until February 24 “due to a mix-up with the prison schedule” where he is being held, according to the RIA Novosti report.
Do you think Alexander Vinnik will be exchanged for US citizens in Russian custody? Share your thoughts on the subject in the comments section below.
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