A Russian cybercrime suspect, Alexander Vinnik, has partially admitted his involvement in criminal activities, as reported by his lawyer Arkady Bukh in a US court. Vinnik, captured in Greece in 2017 and convicted in France for money laundering, is now awaiting trial in California. The plea deal could result in a sentence of less than 10 years, a significant reduction from a potential life sentence.
Vinnik is accused of laundering over $4 billion through the cryptocurrency bitcoin, allegedly operating BTC-e, described by the US Department of Justice as a major cybercrime and money laundering platform catering to criminal clientele.
Despite Russia's extradition requests, Vinnik was extradited to France and later to the US in 2022 after serving a five-year sentence. The US charges carry a maximum sentence of 55 years, but the plea agreement aims to substantially lessen his potential prison time.
