Marc Fogel, the Butler County native recently released after more than three years of imprisonment in Russia, had a warm welcome at the Penguins’ game Friday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
At PPG Paints Arena, Mr. Fogel was featured on the Jumbotron and given a jersey by Kevin Acklin, who recently announced he’d be stepping down as the team’s president of business operations.
The moment was shared by attorney Sasha Phillips on Facebook. Ms Phillips was one of Mr. Fogel’s attorneys assisting in bringing the teacher back to the U.S.
On the center ice scoreboard, large text and announcer Ryan Mills welcomed Mr. Fogel back to Pittsburgh. The screen then showed the moment he received the Jersey before shouting “Let’s go Pens!”
The Penguins also expressed a welcome to Mr. Fogel on social media.
“The Penguins welcome Oakmont history teacher, Butler County native, and Penguins fan, Marc Fogel,” a social media statement read. “Welcome home Marc!”
In a statement shared by the Penguins, Mr. Fogel expressed his own gratitude to the team and greater community in return.
“I want to express my heartfelt thanks to the Pittsburgh Penguins organization for their generous support — an extension of this amazing city’s warm, close-knit community that has rallied around our family during the toughest of times.
“The incredible kindness shown by the Pittsburgh sports teams, along with the tremendous help from our local media, community leaders, politicians, artists, academics, advocates and activists strengthened my mentality to keep on keepin’ on like a true Pittsburgher.
“There were many days when the only good news I received was about my beloved Penguins winning. Our family will be forever grateful to this great city and great country.”
Mr. Fogel, 63, was released from Russian custody in February. He had been held in the country for more than three years after being sentenced to 14 years of hard labor after he was found at a Moscow airport with a small amount of medical marijuana that was prescribed to him in the U.S. for back pain.
Before his arrest, the teacher was in Russia to teach history to American expats at the Anglo-American School of Moscow. He was in his 10th and final year of teaching in Russia prior to his arrest.
Many advocates for Mr. Fogel urged the federal government to label him a political prisoner. In August 2024, a U.S. official for the first time described Mr. Fogel as being wrongfully detained.
Mr. Fogel was finally released after a prisoner exchange with Russia in February.
First Published: March 22, 2025, 12:43 a.m.
Updated: March 22, 2025, 1:52 a.m.
