A veteran US hostage negotiator is reportedly headed for Moscow to help in securing Brittney Griner's release
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Matthew Loh
Jul 13, 2022, 07:09 IST
WNBA star Brittney Griner has been held in Russia since February.KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images
Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is working to secure WNBA star Brittney Griner's release.
He is expected to travel to Moscow in the next few weeks, ABC reported, citing an anonymous source.
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Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is expected to travel to Moscow for talks to secure the release and return of WNBA star Brittney Griner, ABC News reported, citing an anonymous source with knowledge of the matter.
A former ambassador to the United Nations, Richardson is a veteran negotiator and has been involved in securing the freedom of prisoners or hostages detained by North Korea, Hamas, Sudanese rebels, Cuba, Myanmar, and Iraq, according to his center's website.
He works privately as a hostage negotiator, but his missions often receive the blessing of the US government, according to the Associated Press and Agence France-Presse.
More recently, Richardson helped negotiate a prisoner swap in April between US Marine veteran Trevor Reed — held in Russia after being accused of drunkenly attacking Moscow police officers — and a convicted Russian drug smuggler who was in US custody since 2010.
According to ABC, Richardson plans to travel to Russia over the next few weeks, although the outlet noted that his office didn't confirm the trip and said it was "unable to comment on this at the moment."
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"What I can say (and it is publicly known) is that both the Whelan and Griner families have asked us to help with the release of their loved ones," Mickey Bergman, the Richardson Center's vice president for global engagement, told Insider in an emaile statement.
Richardson is currently representing Griner and her family, as well as the family of Paul Whelan, another US Marine veteran held in Russia on accusations of espionage.
She pleaded guilty to drug smuggling charges on Thursday. Experts told Insider the move could help her get home more quickly because she would likely have been found guilty by the Russian court.
TJ Quinn, a senior ESPN writer, cited sources who said Griner would also need to be found guilty if negotiations for her release were to begin.
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