U.S. to release Russian cybercrime suspect Alexander Vinnik in exchange for schoolteacher Marc Fogel

Russian national Alexander Vinnik, who was arrested at the U.S. government’s request on money laundering charges in 2017, is set to be released as part of a prisoner exchange between Russia and the United States, The New York Times and ABC News reported, citing U.S. officials.

The sources did not say when Vinnik will return to Russia.

The news of Vinnik’s release comes one day after U.S. teacher Marc Fogel was released from a Russian prison and returned to the U.S. He had previously been sentenced to 14 years in prison in Russia on drug charges for bringing medical marijuana into the country in 2021.

At a briefing on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that a Russian citizen would be released in exchange for Fogel.