Ilya Lichtenstein, who previously admitted guilt in a high-profile money laundering case linked to the Bitfinex hack, has reportedly been released from prison early. His release follows his sentence of five years, which was part of a plea deal after his arrest alongside his wife, Heather Morgan, in 2022. The couple garnered significant media attention, including coverage in a Netflix documentary titled “Biggest Heist Ever.”
In a recent post on X, Lichtenstein attributed his early release to the First Step Act, a prison reform initiative from former President Trump. He expressed intentions to contribute positively to cybersecurity and thanked his supporters while challenging his critics. The Department of Justice had previously seized approximately $3.6 billion in stolen bitcoins during the couple's arrest.
While it remains unclear if the Trump administration influenced his release directly, an official noted that Lichtenstein has completed a substantial portion of his sentence and is now under home confinement, in line with existing legal regulations.