Russian Alexander Vinnik, accused of laundering at least $4 billion through the Bitcoin exchange BTC-e, may be considered a candidate for the next prisoner exchange between Russia and the United States. His lawyer David Rizk said this in an interview with РИА Новости.
“I would not rule out such a possibility,” he said.
The previous hearing in Vinnik’s case, scheduled for February 18, was postponed due to a scheduling clash at the penitentiary facility where he is held.
The next hearing is scheduled for February 24.
In 2017, Alexander Vinnik was detained in Greece. In 2020, he was extradited to France, where he was later sentenced to five years in prison and a fine of €100,000 for money laundering. Charges of extortion and creating the Locky ransomware were dropped.
In early August 2022, Vinnik was moved to the United States, where he faces up to 55 years in prison. The court refused to release him on bail.