The ‘Merchant of Death’ arms dealer, who is set to be swapped for Brittney Griner in a Russia-US deal, is ‘patient’ but ‘optimistic’ he could be released soon, can reveal.
Viktor Bout has been in US prison since 2010. His reputation for inciting violence is so famous that he inspired the Nicholas Cage film Lord of War.
Despite his background as one of Putin’s top associates, the US is ready to swap Bout for Brittney Griner – the WNBA star currently in jail in Russia for bringing a small amount of marijuana into the country in February.
Earlier this month she was sentenced to nine years in prison, a harsh sentence that shocked President Bide and her fans.
The White House had asked Russia to facilitate an exchange with Bout before Griner was sentenced.
Putin held back and referred to the ongoing court case against Griner. His lieutenants are now seated at the table, ready to negotiate letting Griner go in exchange for Bout.
Arms dealer Viktor Bout is currently being held in a federal prison in the US awaiting a US-Russia swap for Brittney Griner
A poll of nearly 1,000 readers found that 72 percent believe Griner deserves to be arrested for bringing marijuana into Russia
A source close to the negotiations told that Bout was “patient” but was now optimistic about the pace of talks.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if this was done in a week,” the source said.
The deal would bring Griner home, but it would also free one of the worst war criminals the US has ever incarcerated.
Brittney Griner is currently being held in a Russian prison. She was sentenced to nine years in prison on August 4
Some – including former President Donald Trump – say it’s an unequal trade that’s making America look desperate.
Griner was sentenced on August 4th.
Biden immediately said she was “wrongly detained” and that he would do whatever it takes to get her out of Russian prison and back onto US soil.
A poll conducted that day found that 77 percent of readers disagreed.
Only 202 voted with the President’s approval, as opposed to 676 who said she deserved her conviction and sentence.
Trump, in his criticism of the deal to swap Griner for Bout, previously said, “She went in there loaded with drugs, into hostile territory, and they’re very vigilant with drugs.
“They don’t like drugs. And she got caught.
“And now we’re supposed to pull her out as an absolute killer?
‘One of the largest arms dealers in the world. Killed a lot of people, a lot of Americans, and he gets a free pass and we’ll get ’em out.
“She knew you didn’t go in there with drugs. she admitted it. It certainly doesn’t seem like a very good trade.
“He is one of the worst in the world and will be kept free because a potentially spoiled person goes to Russia loaded with drugs.”
There are also questions about why Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are so desperate to try to free Griner when thousands of Americans remain in jail on marijuana charges.
Among them are people Harris put behind bars while he served as San Francisco District Attorney between 2004 and 2010.
She executed 1,600 marijuana convictions that year.
There is also criticism of the fact that while the US rushes to bail Griner out of prison, other Americans remain locked up without anywhere near as much enthusiasm to free them.
Including Paul Whelan – he was arrested in 2018 on suspicion of espionage.
What’s up with them? Paul Whelan remains incarcerated in Russia on espionage charges, while Marc Fogel is in prison on charges similar to Griner’s. He is serving 14 years – five years longer than the sentence she was awarded, but no one promises to exchange it for Russian inmates in American prisons
Sarah Krivanek, also known as Sarah Rae Burns and Sarah Duncan, is a 46-year-old Colorado teacher and mother who has been behind bars in Moscow since last year over a domestic dispute with her local boyfriend
Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday sentenced basketball star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison
Several people on Twitter, including author Tim Young, were quick to point out that she jailed thousands of people on marijuana charges while she was the San Francisco district attorney
There’s also Mark Fogel, a teacher who was caught on similar charges as Griner, but received an even longer sentence than her.
His family says they have received no sign of encouragement from the White House.
“It’s devastating because it feels like this is our last chance to save his life and we just couldn’t get the momentum we needed to make it matter to them,” his niece Kelly Leguineche said last week to CBS.
Fogel was jailed for 14 years – five years longer than Griner – and was advised to keep a low profile and hope for leniency.
State Department officials have declined to confirm whether Fogel is part of their negotiations.
There is also the case of Sarah Krivanek, a 46-year-old Colorado teacher and mother who has been behind bars in Moscow since last year when she was arrested for assaulting her abusive, drunk Russian boyfriend, Mikhail Karavaev.
She was held in the same prison as Griner and is still awaiting her first court date.