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4h ago

Bitfinex Hacker Ilya Lichtenstein Moves to Home Confinement, Cites First Step Act

The prison‑reform law allows eligible inmates to earn time credits that can shift them into pre‑release custody such as home confinement.

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Ilya Lichtenstein, who pleaded guilty with wife Heather Morgan in the plundering of Bitfinex, is now testifying against the mixer he used. (Alexandria Sheriff's Office)
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Overview

  • Lichtenstein posted on X that he was freed early thanks to President Trump’s First Step Act, saying he plans to work in cybersecurity.
  • A Trump administration official confirmed he is on home confinement consistent with statute and Bureau of Prisons policies.
  • He was sentenced in November 2024 to five years after pleading guilty to a money laundering conspiracy and admitting to the 2016 Bitfinex hack of about 119,754 bitcoin.
  • The federal inmate locator still lists a Feb. 9 release date, and the Bureau of Prisons did not immediately comment.
  • His transfer follows other high‑profile crypto clemencies from the administration, including pardons for Ross Ulbricht and Binance founder Changpeng Zhao.