Misleading
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Register
Misleading
  • About Us
  • Log in
  • Don’t Mislead (Archive)
  • Privacy Policy
No Result
View All Result
Misleading
No Result
View All Result

Marc Fogel designated “wrongfully detained” by U.S. government, family says

December 27, 2024
in Missleading
Reading Time: 4 mins read
0 0
A A
0
Marc Fogel designated “wrongfully detained” by U.S. government, family says
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Marc Fogel’s mom disappointed her son is still imprisoned in Russia


Marc Fogel’s mom disappointed her son is still imprisoned in Russia

02:35

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Marc Fogel has been designated as “wrongfully detained” by the United States government, according to a U.S. Department of State spokesperson. 

That designation was made official in October.

Marc Fogel is currently serving a 14-year sentence in Russia for possessing medical marijuana.

Who is Marc Fogel?

When the Butler County native and his wife flew back to Russia in August 2021 for their 10th and final year of teaching in the country, Marc Fogel was detained at the airport in Moscow after his family said he was carrying 17 grams of cannabis for medical reasons to treat chronic back pain.

The teacher from Oakmont was convicted of drug smuggling and drug possession and sentenced to 14 years at a high-security penal colony in Russia.

Fight to bring Marc Fogel home

Ever since his imprisonment, Marc Fogel’s family and lawmakers have been urging lawmakers to bring him home. 

In 2022, thousands of people signed a petition calling on the U.S. government to do more to bring him home. Lawmakers, including Pennsylvania Senators Bob Casey and John Fetterman and U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler also have put pressure on President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken to designate his imprisonment as wrongfully detained.

In December 2022, the U.S. and Russia agreed on a prisoner swap that included WNBA player Brittney Griner, but Marc Fogel was not included in the deal.

In August, another prisoner swap between Russia and the U.S. brought home all Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, Marine veteran Paul Whelan and Russian-American radio journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, but not Marc Fogel.

When President Biden was asked about Marc Fogel in August, he said, “We’re not giving up on that.”

An attempt was made to include Fogel in the Aug. 1 deal but officials were unable to make it happen.

Malphine Fogel, Marc Fogel’s mother, has previously criticized the Biden administration for not bringing her son home.

“I might be on borrowed time,” Malphine Fogel told KDKA-TV in July. “I don’t know how much time I have. I want to come home while I still know him.”

What does wrongfully detained mean?

Wrongfully detained is a designation that puts the full force of the U.S. government behind securing the release of the prisoner. 

According to the U.S. Department of State, once a person has been determined to be wrongfully detained, offices “throughout the State Department and other U.S. government agencies will work collaboratively with colleagues inside and outside the government to develop a strategy to secure their release.”

Getting the determination is very rare, as most cases of Americans being arrested or detained overseas “arise out of legitimate law enforcement and judicial processes,” according to the government. 

Malphine Fogel sued the government in June in an effort to get her son home from Russia.

What happens next to Marc Fogel?

Once the secretary of state designates someone as wrongfully detained, the U.S. government is required by law to work for their release, and can impose sanctions against the country holding them.

It also means the case gets transferred to a division known as the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, or SPEHA, which is focused on negotiating for the release of detainees and hostages around the world.  

But there is no clear timeline on how long it takes to release someone. 

KD Fabián contributed reporting.

Caitlin Yilek

contributed to this report.

More from CBS News

Michael Guise

Michael Guise is a web producer for CBS Pittsburgh who has worked for KDKA-TV since 2019.

Previous Post

FDA wants new testing to detect asbestos in products with talc

Next Post

Homelessness jumped to a new record this year as housing costs soared

Related Posts

Missleading

John Blust: The U.S. Census counts citizens and noncitizens. Did this give Democrats “24 more seats” in Congress?

August 8, 2025
Trump Nominates Matt Gaetz For Attorney General
Missleading

Texas AG Investigating group reportedly giving money to Texas Dems who fled state

August 7, 2025
How to Lie with Lines: The Art of the Misleading Graph
Don’t Mislead

How to Lie with Lines: The Art of the Misleading Graph

August 6, 2025
Trump Nominates Matt Gaetz For Attorney General
Missleading

Two arrested after attack on former DOGE staffer

August 6, 2025
Trump Nominates Matt Gaetz For Attorney General
Missleading

Dem Rep called out after saying “I’m a proud Guatemalan before I’m an American”

August 5, 2025
Missleading

How social and technology issues have converged to create mistrust

August 4, 2025
Next Post
Homelessness jumped to a new record this year as housing costs soared

Homelessness jumped to a new record this year as housing costs soared

Here’s what the H-1B visa debate with Musk and Ramaswamy is about

Here's what the H-1B visa debate with Musk and Ramaswamy is about

Please login to join discussion
Misleading

Misleading is your trusted source for uncovering fake news, analyzing misinformation, and educating readers about deceptive media tactics. Join the fight for truth today!

TRENDING

Texas AG Investigating group reportedly giving money to Texas Dems who fled state

“We Need Accurate Jobs Numbers” – Trump Fires Commissioner Of Labor Statistics After Major Revisions

How social and technology issues have converged to create mistrust

LATEST

John Blust: The U.S. Census counts citizens and noncitizens. Did this give Democrats “24 more seats” in Congress?

Texas AG Investigating group reportedly giving money to Texas Dems who fled state

How to Lie with Lines: The Art of the Misleading Graph

  • About Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA
  • Cookie Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions

Copyright © 2025 Misleading.
Misleading is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • About Us
  • Log in
  • Don’t Mislead (Archive)
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 Misleading.
Misleading is not responsible for the content of external sites.