Ilya Lichtenstein, the mastermind behind the infamous $4.5 billion Bitfinex hack, has reportedly turned into a government witness in a money laundering trial.
Bitfinex Hack and Arrests
In 2016, Lichtenstein and Heather Morgan, known as the “crypto couple,” orchestrated the massive theft of crypto assets from the Bitfinex exchange. They were arrested in 2022 and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder the stolen funds.
Lichtenstein’s Testimony
In the ongoing trial against Bitcoin Fog, a crypto mixing service, Lichtenstein testified that he had access to Bitfinex’s systems for months and exploited accounts at Coinbase and Kraken. He also admitted to using Bitcoin Fog to launder his stolen proceeds, but later switched to other mixers.
Bitcoin Fog Operator Arrested
Roman Sterlingov, the alleged principal operator of Bitcoin Fog, was arrested by the FBI in 2021. Lichtenstein, who also goes by the name “Dutch,” described himself as a “technology entrepreneur” on LinkedIn. Morgan, a former Forbes columnist, is known as the YouTube rapper “Razzlekhan.” A feature film about the couple is reportedly in development at Amazon MGM Studios.
