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Ambassador Antonov visits Russian national Vinnik standing trial in US court

Anatoly Antonov previously visited Alexander Vinnik last fall

SAN FRANCISCO, September 7. /TASS/. Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov visited Russian national Alexander Vinnik, who is kept in custody in California as he is standing trial in a US court.

Antonov visited Vinnik at the Santa Rita jail in Alameda County, which is near San Francisco. The Russian diplomat mentioned his meeting with Vinnik when speaking to reporters in California.

"I managed to talk quite thoroughly and at length with Alexander Vladimirovich Vinnik. This is my second visit to this prison and my second personal conversation with him. Unfortunately, the communication was again through the glass, by phone, which created certain difficulties. Nevertheless, the prison authorities were very prompt and quick in making the visit possible and did not create any hurdles," Antonov said.

"The most important thing is that Alexander Vladimirovich is feeling okay, as much as it is possible in prison conditions," the ambassador said

Anatol Antonov previously visited Alexander Vinnik in the fall of last year.

Vinnik was detained in Greece on July 25, 2017, at the request of the United States, where he is accused of laundering $4-9 bln through the now defunct crypto exchange BTC-e. In December 2019, Vinnik was extradited to France, where he also faced charges. In December 2020, a Paris court sentenced him to five years in prison for money laundering. In early August 2022, the Russian was brought to Greece from France and then sent to the US. In Russia, Vinnik is charged with embezzlement of over 600,000 rubles ($9,700) and computer fraud worth 750 mln rubles ($12.2 mln). He said earlier that he was ready to return to his home country and stand trial.