- Ilya Lichtenstein, the mastermind of the 2016 Bitfinex hack, was released early under the First Step Act.
- He and his wife Heather “Razzlekhan” Morgan stole 120,000 bitcoins, laundered funds, and were arrested in 2022.
- Both credited President Trump’s legislation for their early release, celebrating their reunion after years of separation.
Ilya Lichtenstein, the hacker who was serving prison time for breaking into crypto exchange Bitfinex and stealing millions of dollars worth of bitcoin, has been released from prison earlier than expected. In a short tweet posted on X, Lichtenstein thanked US President Donald Trump for his early release:
“Thanks to President Trump’s First Step Act, I was released from prison early. I remain committed to making a positive impact on cybersecurity as soon as possible,” Lichtenstein said. “To the fans, thank you for everything. To the haters, I can’t wait to prove you wrong.”
Lichtenstein is a Russian-born American citizen who was behind the 2016 Bitfinex hack, widely considered one of the largest cryptocurrency thefts ever. He and his wife, Heather “Razzlekhan” Morgan, stole nearly 120,000 bitcoins from the exchange, then spent years laundering the funds through complex wallet chains, darknet markets, mixers and fake identities.
First stage act
The two men were arrested in 2022 after investigators found parts of the stolen crypto. Lichtenstein later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and related charges, admitting that he was the technical architect behind the hack and laundering operation. Both were serving prison sentences, with Lichtenstein receiving five years and Morgan 18 months.
The First Step Act is an American law, passed in 2018, whose aim is to reduce prison sentences and promote rehabilitation. It allows some inmates to earn time credits for good behavior and for completing approved programs like education, job training or drug treatment, which can be exchanged for shorter sentences and home confinement.
Lichtenstein’s wife, Morgan, was also released early under the same legislation and “saluted Papa Trump” for her early release. Celebrating her husband’s release, she said: “The best New Year’s gift I could have received was finally having my husband home after 4 years of separation. »
Via Cybernews
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