An American school teacher in Power of Russia for three and a half years for a minor infraction of medicinal cannabis He will be released and will be allowed to return home, said the White House on Tuesday.
Marc Fogel, A 63 -year -old Pennsylvania had been sentenced to 14 years in prison for Russia and was considered “unfairly arrested” by the United States.
“For tonight, Marc Fogel will be on American soil and will meet with his family and his loved ones thanks to President Trump’s leadership,” National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said Tuesday in a statement.
Fogel was already on an airplane with a special US envoy. Uu. The Middle East Steve Witkoff left Russian airspace, Waltz said.
Fogel will travel home on a private Witkoff plane that is expected to land at the joint base of Andrews around 9 pm est, said a White House official to NBC News.
Then it is expected to meet with President Donald Trump in the Oval office shortly thereafter.
The launch could advance in Trump’s efforts to reach a high fire in the three -year Russian invasion of neighbor Ukraine, authorities said.
“President Trump, Steve Witkoff and President’s advisors negotiated an exchange that serves as a good faith of the Russians and a sign that we are moving in the right direction to end the brutal and terrible war in Ukraine” Said Waltz in a statement.
On Tuesday it was not immediately clear what the Russians obtained by releasing Fogel.
Tuesday’s announcement ends years of frustration expressed by Fogel’s family, which he has been asking for the White House to ensure his release.
Fogel had remained in Russian custody when US authorities won freedom for other high -profile American detainees, such as Wall Street Journal Evan Gershkovich, veteran Marino Paul Whelan and Wnba’s star Brittney Griner.
“We are more than grateful, relieved and overwhelmed that after more than three years of detention, our father, husband and son, Marc Fogel, finally return home,” according to a family statement.
Fogel had been teaching in Russia before it was Collected by the authorities at the Sheremetyevo International Airport near Moscow, prosecuted and sentenced to 14 years for having about 17 grams of medical cannabis.
They had prescribed medical cannabis in the United States for back pain, but the substance was illegal in Russia.
“Great news for Mark and his family. Our delegation and both parties in all administrations worked hard to take him home,” said American representative Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., He said in the video.
“That is what you should expect as American, that your government will never leave behind the hard work to take it home. Welcome home, Marc”.
The American senator John Fetterman, D-Pa., Thanked the administration for his work to ensure Fogel’s freedom.
“The return to Marc Fogel’s house is very late, and I know that everything Pennsylvania, especially his family, will welcome him with open arms,” said Fetterman in a statement on Tuesday afternoon.
The American senator Dave McCormick, republican of PA-PA., Said he was particularly happy for the old mother of the school teacher, who will finally see his son.
“I could not be happier than Marc Fogel’s 95 -year -old mother, Mafa, hugs her son in Pennsylvania tonight,” McCormick said in a statement.
Fogel’s mother was at home early Tuesday when the phone rang and one person on the other line said: “Buongiorno“, The standard Italian that his son uses every time he calls her.
Fogel was at a Moscow airport waiting for a flight to Washington, DC, with the joy of his mother, who had no “absolute” idea of recent negotiations that ended in his release.
“He didn’t know this,” said his mother in a telephone interview with Fox News Channel. “I have simply had a better feeling the last two days and I don’t know why. But anyway, it was a total surprise when he called and said he was at Moscow airport. That meant they had taken him out of prison.”
