Alexander Vinnik, a Russian national previously convicted for running a multi-billion dollar money laundering operation through the BTC-e digital currency exchange, has been freed as part of a prisoner exchange between Russia and the United States. In return, Moscow released Marc Fogel, an American teacher detained on drug trafficking charges, a few days earlier. Vinnik managed the BTC-e platform from 2011 to 2017 and was arrested in Greece. The US Department of Justice alleges that this exchange processed over $9 billion in transactions related to crimes such as ransomware attacks and drug trafficking. Vinnik admitted to conspiracy to commit money laundering in May 2024 and faced 20 years in prison. Significant assets from the platform were seized, including $90 million confiscated in New Zealand. This prisoner exchange, amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, signifies a rare moment of cooperation between the two countries.
