Crypto Heist Culprit Gets 5 Years: Bitfinex Hacker’s Billion-Dollar Blunder
Ilya Lichtenstein, the mastermind behind the Bitfinex hack, gets five years for laundering nearly 120,000 bitcoins worth over $10.5 billion. His wife Heather Morgan, a.k.a. Razzlekhan, will be sentenced soon. Turns out, hacking and rap don’t mix well when Walmart gift cards are involved!
Hot Take:
Looks like the blockchain isn’t just for digital gold, but also for digital crime! Lichtenstein and Morgan might have been partners in rhyme, but they were also partners in crime. Five years in the slammer for Lichtenstein might seem like a light sentence for a $10.5 billion heist, but hey, at least they didn’t rhyme “Bitfinex” with “prison complex” in one of Razzlekhan’s tracks!
Key Points:
- Ilya Lichtenstein has been sentenced to five years in prison for his role in the 2016 Bitfinex cryptocurrency heist.
- The couple, Lichtenstein and his wife Heather Morgan, laundered nearly 120,000 bitcoins, now valued at over $10.5 billion.
- Advanced hacking techniques and fake identities were used to cover their tracks, including chain hopping and mixing services.
- Their downfall began with the purchase of Walmart gift cards, leading to a search warrant and the discovery of incriminating evidence.
- In a parallel case, Daren Li faces up to 20 years for laundering $73.6 million through cryptocurrency scams.
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