Alexander Vinnik

When news of a potential US-Russia prisoner swap broke last week, a familiar name appeared on the list of possible exchange candidates. Alexander Vinnik, known as "Mr Bitcoin," was arrested while on vacation in Greece in July 2017 on a US warrant for laundering over $4 billion through his crypto exchange, BTC-e.

Russia is set to release Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan in a major prisoner swap with the US, as reported by anonymous sources to Bloomberg. This exchange is expected to be the largest since the Cold War.

A 39-year-old Russian national suspected of bitcoin fraud and wanted by three countries is to be first extradited to France, according to a ruling issued on Thursday by the Council of State.

Greece's top administrative court has suspended a decision to extradite a Russian man suspected of laundering billions of dollars in digital currency to France until it hears an appeal, his lawyer said on Monday.
Greece's justice minister decided on Friday to extradite Alexander Vinnik, accused of being the mastermind of a $4 billion bitcoin laundering ring.

The Greek Council of State has temporarily blocked the extradition of Bitcoin wizard and Russian national Alexander Vinnik.

France, Russia, and the United States were vying to have  Vinnik handed over to them.

Vinnik wants to be handed over to Russia and the Russian Embassy in Athens made extensive efforts to achieve its goal.

The Russian Embassy in Athens on Friday expressed regret at a decision by Greek judicial authorities to extradite bitcoin laundering suspect Alexander Vinnik to France ahead of Russia.

The mother of a Russian man jailed in Greece pending three extradition requests for alleged bitcoin fraud has appealed for his release, ahead of another legal bid to end his detention.

An appeal by Alexander Vinnik, a Russian national suspected of orchestrating a 4 billion dollar fraud, for his release from detention was rejected by a Piraeus misdemeanours court Thursday after hearing his testimony.

A 39-year-old Russian national suspected of bitcoin fraud and wanted by three countries on Wednesday lodged an appeal with a Piraeus court for his release or extradition to Russia for humanitarian reasons.

Alexander Vinnik, a Russian national suspected of bitcoin fraud whose extradition is being sought by three countries, was admitted to a specialist clinic Thursday for treatment after a three-month hunger strike, his lawyer Timofey Musatov said.