The former operator of the BTC-e cryptocurrency exchange, Alexander Vinnik, is being released to Russia after President Donald Trump swapped him for an American teacher in a prison exchange, multiple news outlets have confirmed.
Vinnik, who co-founded BTC-e in 2011, was convicted by a French court on money laundering charges and sentenced to five years in prison in 2020 but was held by a prison in Greece until 2022 when he was extradited to the U.S. to face additional charges.
The U.S. Justice Department originally charged Vinnik in a 2017 indictment on 21 counts, including operating an international money laundering scheme and operating an unlicensed money services business. BTC-e was one of the exchanges used to launder funds from the Mt. Gox hack.
He was taken into custody in Greece in July 2017 at the request of the United States, though was also wanted by Russia, which also requested his extradition that same year. Vinnik has also been accused of running ransomware scams and identity theft schemes.
BTC-e was one of the largest crypto exchanges during the time it operated, and known for its lax KYC procedures. The DOJ estimates it was responsible for laundering more than $4 billion of criminal proceeds.
In May 2024, Vinnik pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering before a San Francisco federal judge.
The prisoner exchanged for Vinnik, Marc Fogel, reportedly returned to the U.S. on Tuesday night. He was held captive in Russia for three and a half years on marijuana charges.
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