former $BTC-e operator Alexander Vinnik has suggested customers of the notorious cryptocurrency change and its successor WEX to hunt the return of their funds to US authorities.
Property from each buying and selling platforms have been seized by america, in keeping with a Russian crypto entrepreneur who returned dwelling underneath a prisoner change settlement with Washington.
$BTC-e's Vinnik forwards buyer monetary claims to the US
Alexander Vinnik, as soon as the co-founder of the biggest cryptocurrency change within the Russian-speaking cryptocurrency house, $BTC-e advisable that clients of the now defunct platform handle requests for the return of lacking funds to america.
The Russian programmer-turned-cryptocurrency businessman admitted that he has obtained many questions concerning the collapse of the change and the lack of clients' funds.
“We perceive that these are necessary and delicate points,” Vinik wrote in a Telegram submit on Wednesday, suggesting he make clear key points of the present scenario.
He then defined: $BTC-e famous that when it shuts down, a cryptocurrency change known as WEX will take over and person balances can be transferred to the brand new platform and proceed to function.
Quoting Russian crypto information outlet Bits.media, Vinnik responded to what gave the impression to be a common inquiry by emphasizing:
“The funds aren’t private property. All belongings have been seized by U.S. authorities as a part of a legal case.”
Discussing the potential of refunds, he pointed to ongoing litigation involving the U.S. authorities and urged authorized motion needs to be taken.
See additionally Dutch TV presenter exposes Bitcoin scammer
The lawsuit was filed within the U.S. District Court docket for the District of Columbia on June 30, 2025, and issues “all digital foreign money held in america.” $BTC-Operational Pockets” and different belongings as of July 25, 2017.
$BTC-e endless story
at the moment, $BTC-e was the most well-liked digital asset change with Russian-speaking crypto merchants. The corporate ceased operations in 2017 following US allegations that it was concerned in dealing with as much as $9 billion in illicit funds, together with cash stolen within the hack of Mt. Gox, one other infamous Bitcoin change.
$BTC-e co-founder Alexander Vinnik was arrested in Thessaloniki, Greece, whereas on trip together with his household that summer season.
The USA and the Russian Federation sought his extradition, however Greece determined to extradite him first to France, the place he was sentenced to 5 years in jail on the finish of 2020.
He was in the end taken into U.S. custody in 2022 and pleaded responsible to cash laundering prices in 2024.
In February 2025, Vinik was launched by President Donald Trump's administration underneath a prisoner change settlement with Moscow.
The latter additionally secured the liberty of Mark Vogel, an American schoolteacher who was arrested and convicted in Russia for drug trafficking.
Commenters take challenge with Vinik's recommendation.
DC lawsuit concerning $BTC-e Fund opens a brand new chapter within the lengthy saga of crypto change failures.
See additionally Elon Musk reiterates assist for DOGE
Within the fall of 2025, Russian media revealed that the U.S. Division of Justice (DOJ) was trying to grab the saved belongings. $BTC-e Pockets in case of collapse. Refers back to the identical submitting.
Russian investigative journalist Andrei Zakharov contributed his two cents to Mr. Vinnik's submit, disputing his declare that all the change's funds are held by the U.S. authorities.
He jogged my memory of one other co-founder, Alexei Vilyuchenko. $BTC-e, and WEX, which went offline in 2018, had beforehand testified in Russia that the remaining balances have been underneath his management.
Later, another person emphasised that WEX was not truly shut down on account of direct US intervention, however after it stopped withdrawals.
As quoted by Bits.media, an nameless commenter utilizing the deal with “Herry” famous that “the collapse regarded like an inside administration battle.”
In October, the now-blocked Telegram channel VChK-OGPU, suspected of getting ties to Russian safety forces, misplaced 6,500 individuals. $BTC It had been transferred from a pockets associated to Vilyuchenko.
