Russian Citizen Vinnik Pleaded Not Guilty to Financial Crime Allegations

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Russian citizen Alexander Vinnik during his initial appearance in a US court on Friday pleaded not guilty to financial crime charges brought against him and his cryptocurrency trading platform BTC-e, a Northern California US District Court spokesperson told Sputnik on Monday.
Sputnik
The court spokesperson confirmed that Vinnik pled not guilty during a hearing on Friday – the first legal proceeding against Vinnik in the United States since being extradited there from Greece on that day.
Vinnik’s Extradition in Line With US Practice to Arrest at Any Time, Any Place - Expert
Russian citizen Alexander Vinnik, 42, has made an initial appearance in US federal court in San Francisco before Magistrate Judge Sallie Kim after being extradited from Greece to the United States to face charges of financial crimes, the US Justice Department said in a statement on Friday.
Vinnik is accused of financial crimes including money laundering through BTC-e, which prosecutors allege obscured and anonymized transactions and sources of funds. Vinnik faces upwards of 50 years in prison if convicted on the charges, which he denies.
Discuss