Alleged BTC-E Operator Claims Arrest Was a U.S. Intelligence Operation

Alexander Vinnik, a Russian citizen arrested in Greece at the request of U.S. authorities, has called his detention a provocation and part of an operation conducted by American intelligence agencies.

Vinnik is allegedly the creator of BTC-E, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges, though the exchange itself denies any connection to him. In the United States, he faces charges of money laundering and cryptocurrency fraud. Vinnik was arrested in Greece in July of this year, and last month a court in Thessaloniki approved his extradition to the United States.

“The warrant for my arrest was issued in America back in January. Why didn’t they send it to Russia? I’m not hiding from anyone. Arresting me here, in Europe, just makes it easier to extradite someone to America. My arrest is essentially an American special operation,” Vinnik told journalists from RIA Novosti.

Vinnik emphasized that he was not hiding from anyone, traveled to Greece under his real name simply to vacation with his wife and two children, and conducted his business openly under his own name. According to Vinnik, the Americans are accusing him of crimes that would be impossible to commit alone. He also claims the charges were drafted unprofessionally from a technical standpoint and in violation of U.S. law. Vinnik believes he was set up by someone from a financial company where he worked as a consultant.