Ilya Lichtenstein Sentenced for Bitcoin Heist

Ilya Lichtenstein has been sentenced to five years in prison for masterminding a $7.6 billion bitcoin heist from Bitfinex in 2016, where he stole approximately 120,000 bitcoin valued at $71 million at the time. He and his wife, Heather Rhiannon Morgan, who is scheduled for sentencing soon, laundered the stolen funds through complex transactions designed to obscure their origins. Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly emphasized the importance of accountability for such crimes and noted Lichtenstein's meticulous planning. During sentencing, Lichtenstein expressed remorse and a desire to contribute positively to society post-incarceration. In a separate case, Larry Harmon was sentenced to three years for operating a darknet bitcoin mixer called Helix, which laundered over $300 million, facilitating illegal transactions for drug dealers and other criminals. Harmon was ordered to forfeit $400 million in assets, highlighting ongoing law enforcement efforts against cryptocurrency-related crimes.