The Trump administration has agreed to send a convicted money launderer back to Russia in exchange for the release of American teacher Mark Fogel, a U.S. official told NBC News on Wednesday.
Alexander Vinnik is currently in American custody and awaiting transport back to Russia, which is expected to happen by the end of the week, the official said.
As part of the deal to free him, Vinnik will leave behind $100 million dollars worth of digital assets in the U.S., the official said.
Alexander Vinnik is escorted from the courthouse in Thessaloniki, Greece, in 2017. Giannis Papanikos / AP file
“We didn’t swap the merchant of death for a basketball player,” The U.S. official said, referring to the 2022 exchange of WNBA star Brittney Griner for arms dealer Viktor Bout.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
