The US Department of State has confirmed the release of Russian national Alexander Vinnik from an American jail, his French lawyer Frederic Belot told TASS.
"I have received a confirmation from the Department of State. He has been released," the lawyer said.
On Wednesday, Belot earlier told TASS that Vinnik would be released from Santa Rita jail in the US and sent back home.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed later that day the Russian national’s release as part of a US prisoner exchange with Moscow.
According to her, Vinnik is "the Russian who will be returning home very soon." "And in exchange, of course, we got Mark Fogel," Leavitt added.
Vinnik was detained in Greece on July 25, 2017, at the request of the United States, where he is accused of laundering $4-9 bln through the now defunct crypto exchange BTC-e. He was extradited to the United States on August 4, 2022.
