Viktor Bout

Viktor Bout, the notorious Russian arms dealer imprisoned in the U.S. and swapped in December 2022 for WNBA star Brittney Griner, who was jailed in Moscow for cannabis possession, appears to be back in the gun trafficking business, or perhaps he never left it. According to an exclusive report by...

Government tax agents recently swarmed two Manhattan stores belonging to Empire Cannabis without presenting a warrant, which is illegal. Empire is now striking back and seeking legal counsel from Steve Zissou — the same attorney who represented Soviet arms dealer Viktor Bout and helped...

Former Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, also known as the "Merchant of Death," is urging Donald Trump to seek refuge in Russia, saying his life is "in peril" in the U.S. In an interview on Russian state TV, Bout said he sent a telegram to Trump warning him...

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the U.S. does not consider freed ‘Merchant Of Death,’ Viktor Bout, a terrorist despite being convicted in America for conspiring to kill its citizens. What Happened: Bout, a former K.G.B. officer and a personal friend of Russian President Vladimir...

An abundance of individuals and groups are still agitated over every aspect of the Brittney Griner-Viktor Bout prisoner exchange. One DEA agent who oversaw the administration's past investigation of Viktor Bout told ABC News that the exchange was "really upsetting...

Former President Donald Trump said Sunday that he turned down a deal to exchange an imprisoned former U.S. Marine for a notorious Russian arms dealer, the same arms dealer involved in a swap President Joe Biden accepted last week. What Happened: Trump said on Truth Social Sunday that, while in...

Viktor Bout, a former K.G.B. officer and a personal friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has joined the Kremlin-loyal ultranationalist political party.  What Happened: Bout, who was freed on Thursday by the U.S. in exchange for American basketball star Brittney Griner from detainment in...

Viktor Bout, a former K.G.B. officer and a personal friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin, said the developments in the West look like a “suicide of civilization.”  What Happened: Bout was freed by the U.S. in exchange for American basketball star Brittney Griner on Thursday from...

Former US Marine Paul Whelan who has been in prison in Russia for over four years and recently in bad health told CNN he was frustrated that more has not been done to secure his release. He spoke with CNN in an exclusive interview just hours after WNBA star Brittney Griner ...

Speaking at the White House, Joe Biden formally announced the release of Brittney Griner from prison in Russia, where she’s been held for the past 10 months. Griner was exchanged for the convicted Russian arms dealer, Viktor Bout, a former K.G.B. officer, ...

Brittney Griner's nightmare in a Russian penal colony has finally come to an end after ten months. The WNBA superstar was released Thursday in a one-for-one prisoner swap for international arms dealer Viktor Bout, according to a U.S. official.  The one-for-one swap ...

The United States is still involved in talks with Russia about a deal to free WNBA star Brittney Griner and former US Marine Paul Whelan though reiterated that  Moscow has not provided a "serious response" to any of its proposals, according to a U.S. diplomat in Russia...

Just one day after it emerged that WNBA superstar Brittney Griner was sent to Female Penal Colony IK-2, a Russian diplomat said the prospect of a prisoner exchange for her release had “strengthened” and could likely involve convicted Russian arms...

Criminal defense attorney Steve Zissou and his client the convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who is serving out a 25-year sentence in federal prison, are looking forward to making big news when/if the prisoner swap takes place. The White House...

Russia's foreign ministry confirmed Thursday that it was engaged in "quiet diplomacy" with the United States regarding the potential prisoner swap that would include WNBA star Brittney Griner and former Marine Paul Whelan for convicted Russian gun-...