MOSCOW, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Russian citizen Alexander Vinnik arrived in Moscow on Thursday after spending years in detention in Greece and the United States, the RIA Novosti news agency reported, citing his French lawyer.
Vinnik had been accused by U.S. authorities of involvement in the management of the BTC-e cryptocurrency exchange, which they claim was used for laundering the proceeds from illicit activities, including cyberattacks, corruption, and drug trafficking.
Russian media reported that he spent nearly eight years in detention. He was detained in Greece in 2017 at the request of the United States, and was extradited to the latter in 2022.
Upon arrival in Moscow, Vinnik expressed gratitude to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russian diplomats and special services, his family, and U.S. President Donald Trump for his release.
Vinnik landed in Russia late Thursday night at Vnukovo Airport. He said that he was transported to Russia on a special U.S. flight via Poland. ■
