Bitfinex hacker Ilya Lichtenstein credits Trump for early release from prison
Ilya Lichtenstein, who pled guilty to money laundering charges tied to his role in the massive hack of crypto exchange Bitfinex, has apparently been released early from prison.
In Brief
Posted:
11:48 AM PST · January 3, 2026
**Image Credits:**VICTOR HABBICK VISIONS/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Getty Images
Ilya Lichtenstein, who pled guilty to money laundering charges tied to his role in the massive hack of crypto exchange Bitfinex, has apparently been released early from prison.
In a Thursday evening post on X, Lichtenstein said he was out early “thanks to President Trump’s First Step Act” (a prison reform bill passed during Trump’s first term).
“I remain committed to making a positive impact in cybersecurity as soon as I can,” Lichtenstein said. “To the supporters, thank you for everything. To the haters, I look forward to proving you wrong.”
The Department of Justice arrested Lichtenstein and his wife Heather Morgan in 2022 and seized $3.6 billion worth of bitcoins that had been stolen from Bitfinex. The couple became infamous after their arrest and were featured in a Netflix documentary called “Biggest Heist Ever.”
Lichtenstein eventually admitted to his role in the hack and was sentenced to five years in prison.
It’s not clear whether the Trump administration played a direct role in the release. An administration official told CNBC that Lichtenstein “has served significant time on his sentence and is currently on home confinement consistent with statute and Bureau of Prisons policies.”
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