Just over a year after being sentenced to five years in prison for his role in the theft of billions of dollars in Bitcoin, hacker Ilya Lichtenstein has been released from incarceration. He shared the news on X, crediting his early release to President Donald Trump’s First Step Act, a criminal justice reform bill enacted in 2018. In his post, Lichtenstein expressed gratitude and affirmed his intention to make a positive impact in the field of cybersecurity.
The First Step Act aims to expand options for early release from prison, allowing for measures such as earned time credits. A Trump administration official confirmed Lichtenstein’s release, stating that he has served a significant portion of his sentence and is currently under home confinement, in line with existing policies of the Bureau of Prisons.
Lichtenstein’s wife, Heather Morgan—who has gained notoriety as the rapper known as “Razzlekhan” or “the Crocodile of Wall Street”—also has a complicated legal history. She was charged alongside Lichtenstein for a scheme involving the laundering of billions stolen in the 2016 hack of Bitfinex, a prominent cryptocurrency exchange. Morgan received a shorter sentence of 18 months but similarly announced her early release in October through a social media post made from her bathtub.
The couple’s arrest in 2022 has captured the public’s interest, leading to their story being featured in a Netflix docuseries, as well as an upcoming film. Their legal troubles and the circumstances surrounding their crimes continue to captivate audiences, shining a light on the evolving landscape of cybersecurity and cryptocurrency crime.
