The Art of the Deal? Bitcoin fraudster tied to 2016 hacking of Democrats is Russian released in exchange for U.S teacher
A bitcoin money launderer, who prosecutors connected to the 2016 Russian interference in the U.S. election, has been released by Donald Trump in exchange for American school teacher Marc Fogel.
Alexander Vinnik, 42, a Russian citizen, was charged in a 21-count superseding indictment in January 2017 and taken into custody in Greece. He was later extradited to the U.S.
He was accused of running digital currency exchange BTC-e and committing money laundering through the site.
Prosecutors previously alleged that Vinnik may also have laundered money for Russian nation-state hackers, including the group Fancy Bear – which was found to have interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
Prosecutors said that Vinnik ran the exchange where funds were used to finance the break in of top Democrats. He was not charged with election interference.
Fancy Bear appeared to have laundered cryptocurrency through BTC-e, according to an investigation by digital forensics company Elliptic and the BBC.
On Tuesday evening, Fogel, who had been held in Russian prison for three years on drug related charges, returned to the U.S. After touching down he hailed the president as a “hero” and said he would be “forever indebted to him.”
The school teacher was arrested in August 2021, after he was caught traveling with 11 grams of medically prescribed marijuana, according to his family and friends. Eight grams of hash oil was reportedly also found in his luggage.
He was later sentenced to 14 years in prison in Russia in June 2022.
In a statement prior to his arrival back in the U.S., the Fogel family also praised Trump’s “unwavering leadership.” “We are beyond grateful, relieved, and overwhelmed that after more than three years of detention, our father, husband, and son, Marc Fogel, is finally coming home.
“This has been the darkest and most painful period of our lives, but today, we begin to heal.”
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