The United States is releasing Russian prisoner Alexander Vinnik as part of the deal to secure Marc Fogel’s freedom, a Trump administration official told Fox News on Wednesday.
Fogel, an American teacher who had been detained in Russia since 2021, was freed on Tuesday. A plane carrying him landed in the U.S. late last night.
Vinnik was arrested in 2017 in Greece at the request of the U.S. on cryptocurrency fraud charges. He was later extradited to the United States where he pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov earlier said the Russian prisoner’s name would be revealed when he returns home.
‘Recently, work has been intensified through the relevant agencies, there have been contacts,’ Peskov said in a conference call with reporters, according to the Associated Press. ‘And these contacts have led to the release of Fogel, as well as one of the citizens of the Russian Federation, who is currently being held in custody in the United States. This citizen of the Russian Federation will also be returned to Russia in the coming days.’
The State Department did not immediately respond Wednesday morning to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Fogel, a history teacher from Pennsylvania, was serving a 14-year prison sentence after his arrest in August 2021 at a Russian airport for being in possession of drugs, which his family and supporters said were medically prescribed marijuana.
Anne Fogel, his sister, told ‘Fox & Friends’ on Wednesday that she is ‘so happy to have this massive boulder’ lifted off her shoulders with her brother’s release.
‘I am so incredibly grateful to the president,’ she added. ‘Just amazing.’
Fogel said her brother’s situation has ‘taken a toll’ on her family but they ‘can’t even believe that he is safe and at home and can get medical attention.’
After his arrival in the U.S., Fogel met with President Donald Trump at the White House and called him a hero for securing his release.
‘I want you to know that I am not a hero in this at all. And President Trump is a hero,’ Fogel said after meeting Trump.
‘These men that came from the diplomatic service are heroes,’ Fogel continued. ‘The senators and representatives that passed legislation in my honor – they got me home – they are heroes.’
When asked by reporters on Tuesday whether the U.S. had given up anything in return for Fogel, Trump replied ‘not much’ without offering additional details.
Fox News’ Pat Ward, Landon Mion and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
