In first national interview, Fogel reflects on prison time and recovery
Marc Fogel, native son of Butler County, spent 1,277 days imprisoned in Russia after being detained for possession of medical marijuana, enduring conditions that caused physical and psychological trauma.
Appearing on CNN with broadcaster Erin Burnett on Wednesday, Fogel said in his first national interview the conditions imposed by the Russian government were “diabolical.”
Released in February 2025, Fogel faces constant reminders of how long he spent trapped in Russia and the challenges he faces readjusting to daily life in America.
“Just readjusting, the first few months were… It was hard to leave the house sometimes. It was hard to just go out and be overwhelmed at a grocery store,” Fogel told Burnett. “I remember one time going and paying for some groceries I bought and she wanted me to tap. And I had never done the tap with the credit card.
“I could feel myself being a bit angst-ridden and the people behind me. That’s one that comes to my mind that, I didn’t know how to do that.”
Fogel, who was born in Butler and now lives on the North Side of Pittsburgh, spent over three decades around the world as a teacher. He was arrested on Aug. 14, 2021, at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow, about to start his final year of teaching at the Moscow Anglo-American School.
Fogel was sentenced to hard labor.
The main prison he was held at, according to Burnett, is “one of the hardest ones Russia’s entire system that (President Vladimir) Putin has.”
During his time in Russia, Fogel said, he was transported to 17 or 18 different prison locations before being held at a penal colony in the city of Rybinsk.
“Those were the worst times. We were herded in trucks with no windows. You were usually smashed in without enough room. Everything was designed to be uncomfortable,” Fogel said.
Fogel described his up-close experience to the cruelties of Russia’s government under Putin.
“You learn very quickly — and having studied some Russian history, the way they use prisons and how their system works — it’s really a normal fact of life for most Russians,” Fogel said. “The society has a really clear-cut system of incarcerating people that dates back centuries.
“They know what they’re doing.”
After being released from Russia and receiving a hero’s welcome at the White House, Fogel has spent the past year reconnecting with friends, family and loved ones.
Reflecting on his experience, Fogel was asked by Burnett, “Did you ever lose hope?”
“Sixty-year-old people don’t live 14 years in Russian prisons,” Fogel responded.
