Russian Embassy Turns Up Heat: Demands Immediate US Updates on WEX CEO Dmitry Vasiliev

Diplomatic tensions flare as Moscow’s envoys press Washington for transparency—or at least a straight answer—on the whereabouts of crypto exchange exec Dmitry Vasiliev.

No more radio silence. The Russian Embassy isn’t politely asking anymore. They’re demanding the State Department cough up details on Vasiliev, the embattled former CEO of collapsed crypto exchange WEX. Because nothing says 'international cooperation' like a public shaming over missing paperwork.

Behind the scenes: Vasiliev’s saga reads like a crypto noir thriller—vanished funds, alleged ties to Russian intelligence, and a trail of angry investors left holding empty bags. Now, with diplomatic channels buzzing, the question isn’t just where Vasiliev is—it’s whether anyone wants to admit they know.

Bonus jab: Meanwhile, three letter agencies worldwide continue their favorite pastime—arguing over jurisdiction while crypto scammers retire to Dubai.

Russian Embassy: We Want Updates on Vasiliev

The service also demanded that Russian consular officers be allowed to meet with Vasiliev under the terms of the 1964 Bilateral Consular Convention.

Vasiliev and others set up WEX as a successor to the BTC-e exchange. It ceased trading in 2018. The closure left scores of customers unable to access fiat and coins worth almost $0.5 billion.

The embassy said that once it receives information about Vasiliev, it WOULD “immediately contact him and provide him with the necessary consular and legal assistance.”

Vasiliev’s legal team at the European Court of Human Rights last month told Russian reporters that Polish officials had deported their client from Warsaw in 2024.

At the time, Vasiliev was wanted in the United States. Prosecutors say he masterminded a criminal fraud and money laundering network.

The lawyers said that Vasiliev was extradited to the US “as part of a criminal case involving [the former BTC-e finance chief] Alexander Vinnik.”

US prosecutors accused Vinnik of laundering $4 billion to $9 billion through the now-defunct BTC-e crypto exchange. Greek police arrested him in 2017. A court then extradited him to the US in August 2022.

In February this year, Vinnik was freed in a prisoner swap with the American teacher Marc Fogel. US prosecutors dropped all charges against him shortly after.

Explainer: Konstantin Strukov, the Russian Gold billionaire facing Russian asset seizure https://t.co/YHndecOkJE https://t.co/YHndecOkJE

The legal team added that Vasiliev could face up to 25 years in prison. Prosecutors have brought two separate charges against the ex-exchange chief, the lawyers said.