France exchanges a Russian basketball player accused of cybercrime for researcher Laurent Vinatier

Suspected of having acted as a negotiator for the Conti ransomware gang, Daniil Kasatkin was due to be extradited to the United States.

On January 8, 2026, the French authorities carried out a prisoner exchange with Russia, releasing basketball player Daniil Kasatkin—accused by the United States of having acted as a negotiator for the Conti ransomware gang—in exchange for researcher Laurent Vinatier.

A specialist in international relations and the post-Soviet space, Vinatier had been arrested in Moscow in June 2024 for failing to register as a “foreign agent.” Sentenced in October 2024 to three years in a penal colony, Laurent Vinatier was facing new charges for espionage. A second trial was scheduled to take place in February 2026.

French police arrested Daniil Kasatkin in June 2025 upon his arrival in France at Charles de Gaulle Airport. The Russian basketball player was the subject of an international arrest warrant issued by U.S. authorities. French courts had authorized his extradition to the United States, which was awaiting only a decree from the Prime Minister to become effective.