Trump agrees to exchange Alexander Vinnik for Marc Fogel
President Trump made a deal to release Alexander Vinnik, a Russian prisoner, in exchange for the freedom of American teacher Marc Fogel, as affirmed by an administration official. Vinnik was detained in 2017 in Greece and was subsequently sent to France and the US to face accusations of fraud and money laundering. Prior to his capture, Vinnik oversaw the BTC-e cryptocurrency platform for six years, handling over $9 billion in transactions.
In December 2020, Vinnik was found guilty of money laundering by a French court and sentenced to five years behind bars. Additionally, in May 2024, he pleaded guilty to conspiring to launder money in front of a federal judge in San Francisco. The US Department of Justice emphasized that Vinnik failed to register BTC-e as a money services business in the US, despite serving numerous American clients, underscoring the department’s commitment to combating cybercrime on a global scale.
After spending three and a half years in Russian custody on drug-related charges, Fogel returned to the United States on Tuesday. Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Middle East representative, disclosed that the president instructed him to secure Fogel’s release from Russia after receiving news of it. Witkoff credited Trump’s presidency for the successful exchange, noting the involvement of Saudi Arabia in finalizing the agreement.
Fogel was warmly received at the White House by Trump, who gave him a tour of the Lincoln Bedroom. Overwhelmed with emotion, Fogel expressed gratitude towards Trump, stating that he does not consider himself a hero in the situation. Trump hinted at the potential release of another American prisoner imminently, although the individual’s identity was not disclosed. Despite Fogel’s liberation, other Americans remain in detention in Russia, including 72-year-old Stephen Hubbard, who stands accused of fighting alongside Ukrainian troops against the Russian military.
