Alexander Vinnikis said to be a criminal mastermind accused of laundering more than 4 billion dollars as part of a bitcoin scam, yet he could well be the key to Brittney Griner being freed.
The WNBA star has been held in custody in Moscow and is currently in prison after being found guilty of marijuana possession in Russia.
Vinnik, on the other hand, is currently being held by American authorities for his role in the bitcoin scam, however his lawyer has instructed Russian authorities to begin negotiations with the USA over a prisoner-swap.
Brittney Griner says she had no intention to break law
After being arrested in Greece at the request of the United States in 2017, Vinnik has been the subject of multiple Russian approaches to try and free him.
Vinnik is facing a maximum penalty in North America of 55 years in prison, with his lawyer claiming the sentence would be tantamount to life for someone Vinnik’s age.
The United States has been unsuccessful in their approaches to try and get Griner and former Marine Paul Whelan freed from Russia detention, but it could well be the case that negotiating with regards to Vinnik could well open diplomatic avenues.
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