BTC-e Co-founder Seeks Prisoner Swap Amid Detention of US Journalist

Russian BTC-e co-founder, Alexander Vinnik, is seeking a "prisoner swap" deal as he remains detained in Greece. Vinnik's lawyer wants him considered for a trade with WSJ journalist Evan Gershkovich, who is currently detained in Russia. Vinnik's legal team believes a public campaign is necessary to increase the chances of such an exchange. The U.S. government has called for Gershkovich's immediate release, as he faces espionage charges. Vinnik's push for a swap began last year, and he has been extradited from Greece to France and then to the U.S., where he faces money laundering charges related to his involvement with BTC-e.