The co-owner of the BTC-e crypto exchange, Alexander Vinnik, accused of money laundering, made a deal with the American prosecutor's office. The Russian’s lawyer Arkady Bukh reported this to TASS.
In the United States, Vinnik is also accused of swindling bitcoins worth more than $4 billion. According to Bukh, his client “admitted guilt under a limited number of articles.”
The deal with the prosecutor’s office, according to the lawyer, will help Vinnik avoid life imprisonment. “We expect that the prison term will be up to 10 years,” Bukh noted.
Alexander Vinnik was detained in Greece in 2017. Russia unsuccessfully tried to achieve his return to his homeland. In January 2020, Vinnik was extradited to France, where he was soon sentenced to five years in prison for extortion and money laundering.
In August 2022, the Russian was extradited to the United States. As the Wall Street Journal wrote, Vinnik's lawyers are seeking his inclusion in any prisoner exchange option between Moscow and Washington, including journalist Evan Gershkovich.