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| US hacker sentenced over Bitcoin heist worth billions | US hacker sentenced over Bitcoin heist worth billions |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Ilya Lichtenstein pleaded guilty last year | Ilya Lichtenstein pleaded guilty last year |
| A hacker has been sentenced to five years in a US prison for laundering the proceeds of one of the biggest ever cryptocurrency thefts. | A hacker has been sentenced to five years in a US prison for laundering the proceeds of one of the biggest ever cryptocurrency thefts. |
| Ilya Lichtenstein pleaded guilty last year in the case involving the Bitfinex cryptocurrency exchange being hacked in 2016 and the theft of almost 120,000 bitcoin. | Ilya Lichtenstein pleaded guilty last year in the case involving the Bitfinex cryptocurrency exchange being hacked in 2016 and the theft of almost 120,000 bitcoin. |
| He laundered the stolen cryptocurrency with the help of his wife Heather Morgan, who used the alias Razzlekhan to promote her hip hop music. | He laundered the stolen cryptocurrency with the help of his wife Heather Morgan, who used the alias Razzlekhan to promote her hip hop music. |
| At the time of the theft, the bitcoin was worth around $70m (£55.3m), but had risen in value to more than $4.5bn by the time they were arrested. At today's prices they would be worth more than double that. | |
| The $3.6bn worth of assets recovered in the case was the biggest financial seizure in the Department of Justice's history, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said at the time. | |
| “It’s important to send a message that you can’t commit these crimes with impunity, that there are consequences to them,” district judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said. | “It’s important to send a message that you can’t commit these crimes with impunity, that there are consequences to them,” district judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said. |
| Lichtenstein, who has been in prison since his arrest in February 2022, expressed remorse for his actions. | Lichtenstein, who has been in prison since his arrest in February 2022, expressed remorse for his actions. |
| He also said that he hopes to apply his skills to fight cybercrime after serving his sentence. | He also said that he hopes to apply his skills to fight cybercrime after serving his sentence. |
| Morgan also pleaded guilty last year to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. She is due to be sentenced on 18 November. | Morgan also pleaded guilty last year to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. She is due to be sentenced on 18 November. |
| According court documents, Lichtenstein used advanced hacking tools and techniques to hack into Bitfinex. | According court documents, Lichtenstein used advanced hacking tools and techniques to hack into Bitfinex. |
| Following the hack, he enlisted Morgan's help to launder the stolen funds. | Following the hack, he enlisted Morgan's help to launder the stolen funds. |
| They "employed numerous sophisticated laundering techniques", the Department of Justice said in a statement, external. | |
| The methods included using fictitious identities, switching the funds into different cryptocurrencies and buying gold coins. | The methods included using fictitious identities, switching the funds into different cryptocurrencies and buying gold coins. |
| Lichtenstein, who was born in Russia but grew up in the US, would then meet couriers while on family trips and move the laundered money back home, prosecutors said. | Lichtenstein, who was born in Russia but grew up in the US, would then meet couriers while on family trips and move the laundered money back home, prosecutors said. |
| Heather Morgan posted hip hop videos under the alias Razzlekhan | Heather Morgan posted hip hop videos under the alias Razzlekhan |
| Morgan's Razzlekhan persona went viral on social media when the case emerged. | Morgan's Razzlekhan persona went viral on social media when the case emerged. |
| Even as the couple attempted to cover up the hack, she published dozens of expletive-filled music videos and rap songs filmed in locations around New York. | Even as the couple attempted to cover up the hack, she published dozens of expletive-filled music videos and rap songs filmed in locations around New York. |
| In her lyrics she called herself a "bad-ass money maker" and "the crocodile of Wall Street". | In her lyrics she called herself a "bad-ass money maker" and "the crocodile of Wall Street". |
| In articles published in Forbes magazine, Morgan also claimed to be a successful technology businesswoman, calling herself an "economist, serial entrepreneur, software investor and rapper". | In articles published in Forbes magazine, Morgan also claimed to be a successful technology businesswoman, calling herself an "economist, serial entrepreneur, software investor and rapper". |