Jailed Russian released in US in exchange for Marc Fogel: Kremlin

The Kremlin said early Wednesday that American Marc Fogel’s release came in conjunction with the Trump administration granting freedom to a Russian citizen held in a U.S. prison — though they were not identified.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters the former prisoner would be named after they reach Russian soil in the next several days, The Associated Press reported. The move is unlike other prisoner swaps between the U.S. and Russia, where the individuals have been named ahead of time.

Fogel returned to the U.S. on Tuesday after he was held behind bars in Russia for more than three years. He expressed his gratitude to President Trump during an emotional homecoming at the White House. 

The Trump administration had kept quiet about how the release was secured, and the president did not say if he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

While Trump administration officials said they were unsure if there was any sort of deal or exchange with Russia for Fogel’s release, NewsNation later confirmed that Alexander Vinnik was released from U.S. custody as part of the deal. 

Vinnik previously operated one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange organizations. He was detained in 2017 on suspicion of laundering $4 billion, pleaded guilty and faced 20 years in prison, Reuters reported.

Fogel was arrested in 2021 and sentenced to 14 years in prison after working in Moscow as a teacher. He had been found carrying a small amount of medicinal cannabis, which he said he was prescribed for back pain. While the Russians charged him with “large-scale drug smuggling” in 2022, the Biden administration said he was wrongfully detained. 

Trump expressed appreciation for the Russian authorities who agreed to release Fogel, a Pennsylvania resident, calling the terms of the deal “very fair.”

The exchange was the first deal negotiated between the current administration and Russia. The president argued it could be a step toward ending the Russia-Ukraine war, Reuters reported.

Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) commended Trump for coordinating the release, calling it “long overdue.”

“I know all of Pennsylvania, especially his family, will be welcoming him back with open arms,” Fetterman wrote in a Tuesday statement. “I commend President Trump and Steve Witkoff for their efforts in finally bringing Marc home.”

Despite Tuesday’s release, there are several other U.S. citizens that still remain in Russian custody.

— Updated at 10:51 a.m.