Russia and U.S. Plan Prisoner Swap Involving Crypto Exchange Founder

Russia is reportedly preparing a prisoner exchange involving two American detainees, a Wall Street Journal reporter and a former U.S. marine, for several Russians, including BTC-e crypto exchange operator Alexander Vinnik, currently held by the U.S. and its allies.

According to Bloomberg, journalist Evan Gershkovich and Marine Paul Whelan are being moved from Russia to undisclosed locations.

Business Insider, citing Russian state media TASS, reports that Vinnik, Vladislav Klyushin, Vadim Konoschenko, and Maxim Marchenko will be sent back to Russia, and their names have been removed from the FBI’s database.

Vinnik had earlier pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges related to money laundering while working at BTC-e. His actions led to the loss of around $121 million and facilitated the laundering of illicit funds.

In May, Vinnik expressed optimism about a potential prisoner exchange, with his lawyer’s filings mentioning ongoing high-level negotiations between Russia and the U.S. regarding his release.

Gershkovich and Whelan were accused of espionage, with Gershkovich detained in March 2023 and Whelan in December 2020. The U.S. government has consistently denied these charges.