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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Graeme Massie

‘Merchant of death’: Who is Viktor Bout, the arms dealer who may be swapped for Brittney Griner

Viktor Bout Brittney Griner United States Nicholas Cage Paul Whelan Bangkok Prison
Getty Images

A notorious international arms dealer, nicknamed the “Merchant of Death” and was supposedly the inspiration for a character played by Nicholas Cage in the 2005 movie Lord of War, may be part of a plan to retrieve Brittney Griner.

On Wednesday, the Biden administration offered a potential prisoner swap that would bring home two Americans held in Russia, Griner and Paul Whelan, in exchange for Viktor Bout.

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