Stephen Hubbard Released from Russian Prison After Four Years

Stephen James Hubbard, a pro bono client of law firm Boies Schiller Flexner (BSF), is free and returning home to the United States after more than four years in Russian custody. Russia released him on humanitarian grounds.

'History tells us that the road to peace is long and difficult, but its human dividends need not wait for a final agreement,' said Martin De Luca, the BSF partner who led the representation. 'Stephen Hubbard's freedom is a dividend earned along the hard road to peace.'

Hubbard is a 74-year-old retired teacher from Michigan. He was the oldest American held in Russia and the only American in Russia designated by the U.S. government as wrongfully detained.

'Two Americans have now come home from Russia on humanitarian grounds in 10 weeks,' De Luca said. 'These are tangible results of sustained diplomacy and compelling reasons to keep working to bring every American home. President Trump made Stephen's freedom a top priority and kept it there. Special Envoy Witkoff, Jared Kushner, Sebastian Gorka and Chris Curren of the National Security Council, and the team at the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs carried that commitment through with skill and persistence. We are grateful to them all.'

'We also thank the Russian government for its humanitarian decision,' De Luca said. 'Humanitarian gestures build the trust that diplomacy runs on. We hope this one leads to more Americans coming home.'

'This is what pro bono service is for,' said Andrew Smith, partner at BSF. 'Stephen is going home to his family, and nothing matters more than that. Getting here took intense legal work in two countries. We thank our colleagues at EPAM Law for their skill and dedication.'

'We are overjoyed and deeply grateful that Stephen is free,' said the Hubbard family. 'We thank President Trump, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and the hostage affairs team for bringing him home. We especially appreciate his lawyers at Boies Schiller Flexner and EPAM Law for standing by him. We ask for privacy as Stephen recovers and reconnects with the people who love him.'

The BSF team was led by De Luca and Smith, who also represented Marc Fogel, released from Russia in February 2025.

Statement of Father Joseph Coleman, Orthodox Priest, Son of Stephen Hubbard

'On behalf of our family, I want to thank President Donald J. Trump, Secretary Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Mr Jared Kushner for securing the release of my father, Stephen Hubbard. We have been gravely concerned for his safety and health since his 2022 detention

We are especially grateful to President Trump and his team for opening the dialog with Russia which led to this joyful day. Our family can attest: there are wonderful blessings to be found along the hard road to peace.

Never once did we waver as we prayed for success in these negotiations, and we must acknowledge that the pardon granted by President Putin to my father in this matter is deeply appreciated. Importantly, we must thank our legal counsel - Boise Schiller & Flexner in the United States and EPAM Law in Russia - all pro bono lawyers to this noble cause.

Today we must give the glory to God in all things and express our profound appreciation to Him for his amazing grace: our father is finally home!'