Billion-dollar Bitcoin hacker Ilya Lichtenstein thanks Trump for early jail launch

Simply over a yr after being sentenced to 5 years in jail for the theft of billions of {dollars} in Bitcoin, hacker Ilya Lichtenstein is free. Lichtenstein introduced his launch in a submit on X, particularly crediting Trump: “Due to President Trump’s First Step Act, I’ve been launched from jail early. I stay dedicated to creating a constructive impression in cybersecurity as quickly as I can.”

The First Step Act Lichtenstein referenced is a legal justice reform invoice handed in 2018 in the course of the first Trump administration and expands choices for early launch, comparable to earned time credit. A Trump administration official confirmed the early launch in a assertion to CNBC, claiming that Lichtenstein “has served vital time on his sentence and is presently on dwelling confinement in keeping with statute and Bureau of Prisons insurance policies.”

Lichtenstein’s spouse, Heather Morgan, replied to his announcement submit with a photograph of the 2 of them. Morgan, who some may know because the notorious rapper “Razzlekhan” or “the Crocodile of Wall Avenue,” was additionally charged for the scheme to launder billions of {dollars} price of Bitcoin stolen within the 2016 hack of crypto trade Bitfinex. She was solely sentenced to 18 months in jail, however was additionally apparently launched early, a growth she introduced from her bathtub in a submit on X in October. Morgan and Lichtenstein weren’t arrested for the hack till 2022. The duo have since grow to be the topic of a Netflix docuseries and an upcoming movie.