The United States has released Alexander Vinnik, a Russian national accused of cybercrimes, as part of a prisoner exchange, Reuters reports.
Vinnik was the operator of BTC-e, a now-defunct cryptocurrency exchange linked to laundering $4 billion in illicit funds. US authorities connected him to the 2014 collapse of the Japan-based bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox, alleging he laundered funds stolen from the platform. He was arrested in Greece in 2017 and later extradited to France before being sent to the US, where he pleaded guilty in May 2024 to conspiracy to commit money laundering. Facing a potential 20-year sentence, his sentencing was postponed in November of that year. The US Department of Justice has described BTC-e as a key platform for cybercriminals involved in hacking, ransomware, and fraud. The prisoner exchange secured the freedom of Marc Fogel, an American teacher who was imprisoned in Russia for drug-related charges. Reports suggest Vinnik has access to substantial bitcoin reserves tied to the Mt. Gox breach, which could explain Russia’s interest in his release.
