The lawyer for Paul Whelan, the former U.S. Marine who recently returned to American soil after being freed in a massive prisoner swap with Russia, says it was "painful for Paul to see others released before him."
Attorney Ryan Fayhee made the comment to ABC News as Whelan reportedly is set to return to his home state of Michigan next week following a 19-day stay at the Brooke Army Medical Center outside of San Antonio, Texas.
"He's continuing to undergo various medical related tests and treatment as any wrongfully detained American who comes home does, and he's looking forward to beginning to rebuild his life, after five and a half years away," Fayhee said. "And so he's soon to return to Michigan and looking forward to being reacquainted with friends and family and getting his life in order."
Fayhee added that it was "painful for Paul to see others released [from Russia] before him," such as Brittney Griner and Trevor Reed.
"I believe that Paul's arrest really led to the arrest of all the others that came after him... and they really all had to do with the Russians' desire to extract some benefit out of the United States," Fayhee also said.
Whelan, a corporate security executive from Michigan and former U.S. Marine, had been jailed in Russia since his December 2018 arrest on espionage-related charges that both he and the U.S. government dispute. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison.
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Then in early August, Whelan landed back on U.S. soil following a prisoner swap between Russia and the West that also involved detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.
Since then, Whelan has been "focused on reading all the things about the efforts that his family... and the administration undertook to gain his release, so he can sort of put the pieces back together," Fayhee told ABC News.
Fayhee also mentioned that he has been able to take Whelan out for a steak dinner since his return to the U.S. and that Whelan has been wearing an American flag pin he received from President Biden "on his collar every day since."
Fox News’ Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.
