U.S. Releases BTC-e Operator Vinnik, Accused of Laundering $4 Billion, in Swap for Marc Fogel

The United States is releasing Russian national Alexander Vinnik as part of a prisoner exchange with Russia that secured the release of American teacher Marc Fogel, U.S. officials confirmed on Wednesday. Vinnik, co-founder of BTC-e—once among the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges—was arrested in Greece in 2017 and extradited to the United States. Accused of operating an illegal crypto money laundering operation that allegedly laundered $4 billion, he was facing a potential 20-year prison sentence and will forfeit millions in assets.

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