Founding father of crypto change BTC-e eyes prisoner swap with WSJ journalist

Alexander Vinnik, the co-founder of defunct Russian crypto change BTC-e, is going through cash laundering fees within the US. However in response to a report from the Wall Road Journal (WSJ), he’s optimistic about being included in a prisoner swap for captured journalist Evan Gershkovich.

Filings by Vinnik’s lawyer talk about how “he has been the topic of political negotiations over a prisoner swap with Russia on the highest ranges of the federal government.” The submitting additionally emphasizes how “public notion impacts these high-level, political negotiations.”

This submitting particularly pertains to a request to permit Vinnik to debate supplies from discovery extra broadly.

The allegations in opposition to Vinnik are that he operated BTC-e and within the course of stole identities and facilitated cash laundering, together with funds from the Mt. Gox hacker. BTC-e allegedly lacked any kind of Know-Your-Buyer (KYC) or Anti-Cash-Laundering (AML) procedures, permitting criminals to make use of the change freed from restriction.

The prosecutors particularly allege that funds related to administrative accounts for BTC-e have been transferred on to financial institution accounts managed by Vinnik and that Vinnik was the helpful proprietor of not less than one of many firms concerned within the operations of BTC-e.

Learn extra: Russian Bitcoin launderer will serve 5 years after dropping French attraction

Cryptocurrency analytics professional Elliptic has beforehand steered that BTC-e dealt with a few of the bitcoin traced to Fancy Bear, a Russian state hacking equipment that it’s been steered was the entity behind the 2016 hack of the Democratic Nationwide Conference.

The BBC has additionally reported that property belonging to Wex, the successor to BTC-e, have been finally given to the Russian Federal Safety Service (FSB).

Vinnik has thus far pleaded not responsible to the 21 fees levied in opposition to him within the US and has steered he didn’t have decision-making authority over the platform.