The Trump administration has agreed to send a convicted money launderer back to Russia in exchange for the release of American teacher Mark Fogel, a U.S. official told NBC News on Wednesday. Alexander Vinnik is in American custody and awaiting transport to Russia,

Steve Witkoff avoided questions about whether he met with Putin to secure the former American detainee’s release.

Alexander Vinnik, a convicted Russian criminal, is being freed as part of a swap that saw Moscow’s release of American Marc Fogel, two U.S. officials confirmed Wednesday. Vinnik was arrested in 2017 in Greece at the request of the U.