https://en.sputniknews.africa/20250214/russian-national-alexander-vinnik-thanks-putin-lavrov-trump-for-his-release-1070645276.html
Russian National Alexander Vinnik Thanks Putin, Lavrov, Trump for His Release
Russian National Alexander Vinnik Thanks Putin, Lavrov, Trump for His Release
Sputnik Africa
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Vinnik, accused in the US of operating a cryptocurrency exchange linked to criminal activities, spent almost eight years in prisons without... 14.02.2025, Sputnik Africa
2025-02-14T09:36+0100
2025-02-14T09:36+0100
2025-02-14T13:40+0100
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Russian national Alexander Vinnik, who was released from a US prison and arrived in Moscow, has thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, diplomats, security services, his family, and US President Donald Trump for his release in an interview with Sputnik.Vinnik arrived in Russia late on Thursday evening at Vnukovo airport. He said that he had been brought to Russia on an American special flight via Poland. Vinnik also said that he was already home with his family; he hadn’t seen his children yet; they were outside the city and sleeping. Vinnik was accused in the US of being an operator of the BTC-e cryptocurrency exchange, which, according to the US, was used, among other things, to transfer, legalize and store proceeds from criminal activity, including cyberattacks, corruption, and drug trafficking. According to court documents, he laundered over $4 billion through the platform.The Russian national was released from US prison in exchange for US citizen Marc Fogel, who was arrested in Moscow in August 2021 with marijuana and hashish oil found in his luggage, and was therefore sentenced by a Russian court to 14 years in prison for drug possession.
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sergey lavrov, vladimir putin, donald trump, united states (us), russia, poland, prisoner exchange, international, north america, exchange, cryptocurrencies , prison, court
Russian National Alexander Vinnik Thanks Putin, Lavrov, Trump for His Release
09:36 14.02.2025 (Updated: 13:40 14.02.2025) MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Vinnik, accused in the US of operating a cryptocurrency exchange linked to criminal activities, spent almost eight years in prisons without a court ruling on his guilt. Not a single court hearing on the case took place in the US; all court sessions were technical. In May 2024, he entered a plea agreement with the US government.
Russian national Alexander Vinnik, who was released from a US prison and arrived in Moscow, has thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, diplomats, security services, his family, and US President Donald Trump for his release in an interview with Sputnik.
"I want to thank everyone. The President. First of all. Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. Lavrov. Our chief diplomat. Everyone. All diplomats. All security 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, generally speaking, without him, it probably would have been difficult," Vinnik said.
Vinnik arrived in Russia late on Thursday evening at Vnukovo airport. He said that he had been
brought to Russia on an American special flight via Poland.
"They transported me normally. A special flight from the US via Poland. First we refueled there, on the East Coast, then to Poland, refueled and headed here," he said.
Vinnik also said that he was already home with his family; he hadn’t seen his children yet; they were outside the city and sleeping.
"I’m already home, with my family. I still don’t believe it," Alexander said.
Vinnik was accused in the US of being an operator of the BTC-e cryptocurrency exchange, which, according to the US, was used, among other things, to transfer, legalize and store proceeds from criminal activity, including cyberattacks, corruption, and drug trafficking. According to court documents, he laundered over $4 billion through the platform.
The Russian national was released from US prison in exchange for US citizen
Marc Fogel, who was arrested in Moscow in August 2021 with marijuana and hashish oil found in his luggage, and was therefore sentenced by a Russian court to 14 years in prison for drug possession.
