Bitfinex hacker Ilya Lichtenstein credits Trump for early release from prison

New York: Ilya Lichtenstein was released early from prison. He pled guilty to money laundering linked to the Bitfinex hack. He shared on X that President Trump’s First Step Act helped him get out early. This prison reform law was passed during Trump’s time as president.

Lichtenstein said he wants to have a good impact in cybersecurity soon. He thanked his supporters and challenged the haters to see him prove them wrong. In 2022, Lichtenstein and his wife Heather Morgan were arrested. They had stolen $3.6 billion in bitcoins from Bitfinex.

They became well-known after their arrest and were featured in a Netflix show called “Biggest Heist Ever.” Lichtenstein confessed to the hack and received a five-year sentence. It’s not clear if Trump directly helped with Lichtenstein’s early release. An official said he served a good amount of time and is on home confinement now.