Russia and the US along with its allies exchange prisoners: BTC-e founder Vinnik is freed
Publication Time:2024-08-02 14:31:07
According to reports, a prisoner exchange operation took place between Russia and the US along with its allies, as part of which Russia released Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan. At the same time, the US and its allies also released certain Russian prisoners held captive, including Alexander Vinnik, the founder of the BTC-e cryptocurrency exchange. The latest news indicates that Gershkovich and Whelan had already traveled to locations outside Russia yesterday. Moreover, the names of Vinnik and others have been removed from the FBI's electronic database, suggesting they may have been sent in another direction. Notably, Vinnik admitted to crimes committed during his tenure at BTC-e, admitting to conspiracy to launder money and causing losses of approximately $121 million. Gershkovich and Whelan were respectively arrested for espionage in March 2023 and December 2020, but the US has consistently denied these charges.
US
BTC-e
Vinnik
Russia
prisoner exchange