ISTANBUL 

Russian national Alexander Vinnik is headed to Moscow after being released as part of a prisoner swap between the US and Russia which also involved an American teacher, Vinnik’s lawyer said Thursday.

“We have received an update on the whereabouts and status of our client, Mr. Vinnik,” Arkady Bukh told state news agency. TASS. “His arrival at the Moscow airport is expected in the next few hours.

”Bukh said Vinnik arrived by plane in Türkiye, from where he was sent on another flight to the Russian capital.

Vinnik was taken into custody in Greece in 2017 at Washington’s request on charges of cryptocurrency fraud.

He was convicted by a court in France, where he was extradited to in 2020 on money laundering charges and sentenced to five years in prison. He also pleaded guilty before a US court last May for conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Russia and the US confirmed a prisoner exchange Wednesday between the two countries, in which American teacher Marc Fogel, who was behind bars in Russia since 2021, was released in return for Vinnik.