Bitfinex hacker Ilya Lichtenstein says he is being released early as part of ‘Trump’s First Step Act’
Bitfinex hacker Ilya Lichtenstein announced his early prison release, attributing it to President Trump's First Step Act.Summary
Ilya Lichtenstein, who confessed to being behind the 2016 Bitfinex hack, announced on X that he has been released early from prison, crediting President Donald Trump's 2018 First Step Act, a law aimed at federal prison reform. Lichtenstein was sentenced to five years in 2024 for conspiracy to commit money laundering related to the heist, while his wife, Heather Morgan (Razzlekhan), also received a sentence for her smaller role. The couple pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracies involving bitcoin worth $4 billion at the time of seizure. Lichtenstein stated he executed the heist alone and cited his cooperation in helping the government recover assets. His Bureau of Prisons record shows a release date set for February 9th. This follows a similar, though officially unconfirmed, early release announcement by his wife in October 2025, who also thanked Trump. The article notes Trump has previously pardoned other crypto figures like Changpeng Zhao and Ross Ulbricht.
(Source：The Block)