Russia frees French researcher in prisoner swap for alleged ransomware hacker
TL;DR
Russia freed French researcher Laurent Vinatier in a prisoner swap for Daniil Kasatkin, a Russian basketball player accused of ransomware hacking in the U.S. Kasatkin denies the charges, claiming his device was controlled by cybercriminals.
Source: NBC News
Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher serving a three-year prison sentence in Russia for violating Moscow's foreign agent laws, has been freed as part of a prisoner exchange, French and Russian officials said Jan. 8. Russia's FSB security service said Vinatier, 49, had been swapped for Daniil Kasatkin, a Russian basketball player who was arrested at a Paris airport last June and who was wanted in the U.S. for alleged involvement in ransomware attacks. Kasatkin had denied the U.S. hacking accusations. His lawyer, Frederic Belot, said he had no computer knowledge but was using a second-hand device that was controlled by cybercriminals. Full Story