Prosecutors Push for Five-Year Sentence for Bitfinex Hacker

Prosecutors have requested that Ilya “Dutch” Lichtenstein, who acknowledged hacking Bitfinex in 2016, be sentenced to up to five years in prison. In February 2022, Lichtenstein and his spouse, Heather “Razzlekhan” Morgan, were taken into custody and accused of transferring around 120,000 bitcoins, which are currently valued at approximately $7.5 billion.

After coming clean about being the real hacker, Lichtenstein was first thought to have simply been involved in money laundering with the stolen assets. He later turned into a government witness.

Complex Laundering Scheme

Court documents reveal that Lichtenstein and Morgan successfully laundered 25,111 bitcoins, about 21% of the stolen amount. They used a network of Eastern European bank accounts and bitcoin mixing services to obscure the origin of the funds. Prosecutors described their methods as “the most complicated money laundering techniques [IRS agents] had seen to date.”

Lichtenstein entered a guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering in August 2023, potentially receiving a 20-year prison term. Morgan is also charged with lesser offenses, such as conspiracy to launder money and conspiracy to defraud the United States, both of which have a potential punishment of five years. Morgan should receive a reduced 18-month term, according to the prosecution, since she just learned about the intrusion in 2020.

Given that Lichtenstein spent months getting ready for the Bitfinex breach, the prosecution said that he should be given a heavier punishment. His criminal history dates back to his early years; before the Bitfinex hack in 2016, he had stolen $200,000 from another cryptocurrency exchange.

Prosecutors stressed the necessity of a harsh punishment in their sentencing document in order to deter future hackers. Lichtenstein’s “impressive technical expertise” was mentioned, but it was also mentioned that early success typically gives cybercriminals confidence boosts. Although Lichtenstein’s recidivism rate is thought to be low, prosecutors emphasized the need of discouraging other possible hackers.

Morgan’s sentencing is set for November 14 in Washington, D.C., while Lichtenstein’s is set for November 14.