Moscow. February 13. INTERFAX.RU – The defense of Russian Alexander Vinnik, previously extradited from Greece to the United States, suggests that he may return to Russia in the coming hours or days.
“We assume that in literally the next hours he should appear, maybe days,” Vinnik’s lawyer Arkady Bukh said in an interview with Rossiya-24 TV channel (VGTRK).
The lawyer opined that Vinnik “is now in transit.” “Our efforts (on the exchange – IF) seem to be justified,” Bukh said.
Buch later explained to Interfax that “at the moment we are talking about internal transit – the transfer of my client from one organization to another, be it the migration service, transport agents or the Office of Federal Marshals.”
“Unfortunately, there is usually no communication with detainees during transit. This system is specifically designed for security to prevent possible assaults or release attempts while transporting detainees. Even the marshals themselves often do not know the final destination of the arrested person until they arrive at the location,” Buch told the agency.
He added that in the U.S., transportation of federal prisoners follows strict rules.
“Detainees can be transported either by ground or air, including on special flights known as Con Air. Movements and itineraries are classified, with no information disclosed to relatives, attorneys or sometimes even the escorting agents until just before delivery. This is a standard practice aimed at preventing any risks to the life and safety of both prisoners and law enforcement officers,” the defense counsel explained.
Earlier that Vinnik will return to Russia in exchange for the released ex-employee of the U.S. Embassy in Moscow Mark Vogel, said White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt.
Vinnik was detained in Greece on July 25, 2017, at the request of the United States, where he is accused of laundering between $4 billion and $9 billion through the now-defunct online cryptocurrency exchange BTC-e. He was extradited to the United States in August 2022.
Source: https://www.interfax.ru/russia/1008783