Jane Fogel is the wife of American schoolteacher Marc Fogel, who recently got released from a Russian prison, find out more about her below
Marc Fogel finally returned back home to the United States after spending over three years in prison.
The United States released Russian Alexander Vinnik, a suspected cybercrime kingpin, as part of an exchange with Russia that freed Marc Fogel.
Who is Jane Fogel, wife of American Marc Fogel, as school teacher is released from Russian prison and why was he in detained in Russia
Fogel, a history teacher who was working at the Anglo-American School in Moscow, returned to the U.S. after his release from Russia following talks with the Trump administration and he was serving a 14-year sentence after his arrest in August 2021 at a Russian airport for possession of drugs, which his family said was medically prescribed marijuana.
American Marc Fogel released from Russian custody
Fogel, 63, was designated as wrongfully detained by the U.S. government. In the nine years leading up to his arrest, he was teaching at the Anglo-American School in Moscow.
In a statement, Fogel's wife Jane and sons Ethan and… pic.twitter.com/r9FNjdhnZS
— Blue Owl (@BlueOwlHoots) February 12, 2025
Malphene Fogel, who will be 96 next month, is elated to know that the plane her son Marc Fogel is on board, has left Russian air space.
Mrs. Fogel, a resident of Butler, PA was a guest of Trump/45’s at the Butler PA Rally, & met with him just before taking the stage, prior to… https://t.co/fXRWeQVAqT pic.twitter.com/kBqm7k8THm— Marla Hohner (@marlahohner) February 11, 2025
Back in August 2021, Russian authorities at the Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport apprehended him following which he was imprisoned.
Marc Fogel released from Russian prison
An American schoolteacher named Marc Fogel was recently freed on February 11, 2025, following successful diplomatic discussions. US President Donald Trump greeted Marc in the White House after he landed in the US. During his meet with Trump, Fogel stated:
President Trump is a hero. These men that came from the Diplomatic service are heroes. The senators and representatives or past legislation, in my honor to get me home, are the heroes. I am in awe of what they all did. My family has been a force. I think my 95-year-old mother is probably the most dynamic 95-year-old on Earth right now.”
Marc then spoke briefly about his experience and further added:
I will forever be indebted to President Trump, to Steve [Witkoff] over there — what a dynamic man this guy is. When I met him, the energy, the can-do attitude just exudes from his body.”
Jane Fogel bio
Jane Fogel is the wife of American schoolteacher Marc Fogel who was arrested and imprisoned for three years before his recent release. Notably, Jane herself is a teacher who taught at the International Educator at Anglo American School of Moscow for almost 10 years. Their children also reportedly studied at the same school as their parents.
Aside from teaching in Russia, Jane and Marc travelled across different countries as teachers. Over the years the pair have taught at different high schools across countries like Colombia, Malaysia, Oman, Venezuela, and more. Prior to the incident in August 2021, Jane and Marc had reportedly decided to quit teaching after their 10th anniversary.
Following Marc’s release, his wife Jane and their sons Ethan and Sam, released a joint statement stating:
Thanks to the unwavering leadership of President Trump, Marc will soon be back on American soil, free where he belongs. This has been the darkest and most painful period of our lives, but today, we begin to heal.”
Marc Fogel drug trafficking convictions
Marc Fogel was convicted with a 14-year prison sentence for drug trafficking convictions back in June 2022. Authorities apprehended Fogel for carrying about 17 grams of medical marijuana. Marc and his wife Jane Fogel were reportedly in the US for their summer break and returned to Russia in August 2021.
During this period, Marc was reportedly suffering from various physical ailments and was prescribed medical marijuana for his treatment. However, on their return trip to Moscow, authorities apprehended Marc for carrying on grounds of drugs possession. The authorities eventually convicted Marc for drug trafficking 10 months after the incident. Following his conviction, authorities shifted him from a Moscow detention center to a penal colony.
Despite his arrest and conviction, the US State Department did not label Marc Fogel as “wrongfully detained.”. Following a series of several appeals from his family, he finally received the designation of being wrongfully detained only in August 2024. It was National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan who described Fogel as wrongfully detained in public, on August 1, 2024.