WASHINGTON,D.C Feb 14, 2025 (V7N) – The United States has released Russian cryptocurrency kingpin Alexander Vinnik as part of a prisoner exchange deal that saw Moscow free US teacher Marc Fogel, a senior US official confirmed Thursday.

The official told AFP that Vinnik, who pleaded guilty in May 2024 to conspiracy to commit money laundering, "was handed over to Russian officials."

US President Donald Trump's government has hailed the prisoner exchange as a diplomatic success, suggesting it could pave the way for further negotiations, including talks on ending the Ukraine war.

Trump’s willingness to engage with Russian President Vladimir Putin has sparked debate, particularly in Europe, where concerns about Russia’s military actions remain high. The US president revealed on Wednesday that he expects to meet Putin in Saudi Arabia for potential Ukraine peace talks, signaling a sudden thaw in relations.

Vinnik was extradited to the United States from Greece in August 2022, hours after his release from a French prison. He was the operator of BTC-e, one of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchanges, which processed over $9 billion in transactions, according to US court records.

The US Justice Department had previously described BTC-e as “one of the primary ways by which cyber criminals around the world transferred, laundered, and stored the criminal proceeds of their illegal activities.”

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