Russia’s ‘Merchant of Death,’ Released by Biden in Prisoner Exchange, Now Selling Arms to Houthi Terrorists– freebeacon.com

Bout, known as the “Merchant of Death,” met with Houthi representatives in Moscow in August under the guise of purchasing pesticides and vehicles to negotiate a $10 million deal for automatic weapons, the Wall Street Journal reported. The Houthis, a U.S.-designated terrorist group, have repeatedly launched drone and missile attacks against Israel and terrorized Israeli commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

The Biden administration faced intense scrutiny in December 2022 after agreeing to swap Bout for Griner, a WNBA star who had been arrested in Russia on drug charges. Critics say that the deal favored Moscow by releasing a high-value prisoner while failing to secure the release of Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine detained in Russia since 2018 on espionage charges.