The United States has released Russian cryptocurrency operator Alexander Vinnik as part of a prisoner exchange that saw Moscow free American teacher Marc Fogel, a senior US official confirmed Thursday.

The official told AFP that Vinnik, who pleaded guilty in May 2024 to conspiracy to commit money laundering, "was handed over to Russian officials."

President Donald Trump's administration has welcomed the exchange as a positive step for US-Russia relations and a potential opening for negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.

Trump’s outreach to Putin has raised concerns in Europe, where Russia has been viewed as a major security threat since its invasion of Ukraine.

On Wednesday, Trump announced plans to meet Putin in Saudi Arabia for Ukraine peace talks, signaling an unexpected shift in relations.

Vinnik had been extradited to the United States from Greece in August 2022, shortly after being released from a French prison.

He was the operator of BTC-e, a cryptocurrency exchange that facilitated transactions totaling over $9 billion, according to US court records.

The US Justice Department previously described BTC-e as a key platform used by cybercriminals to transfer, launder, and store illicit funds.

BDST: 1024 HRS, FEB 14, 2025
MSK