Bitfinex Hack Mastermind Behind $10 Billion Theft Gets Early Release

Ilya Lichtenstein, the man behind the massive 2016 Bitfinex Bitcoin theft, has been released early from prison. Read how the First Step Act and a trail of Walmart gift cards led to this major update in one of the world’s largest crypto thefts.

The man responsible for one of the biggest online robberies in history has been released from prison much sooner than expected. Ilya Lichtenstein, who was sentenced to five years in November 2024 for his part in the 2016 Bitfinex theft, confirmed he was allowed to leave jail last week.

While he was originally supposed to serve 60 months, federal records show he only spent about 14 months behind bars. He has now been moved to “home confinement.” This means he is finishing his sentence under house arrest at home instead of in a cell.

Regarding the move, a Trump administration official explained to CNBC that Lichtenstein ...