In a recent development regarding the notorious Bitfinex hack, Ilya “Dutch” Lichtenstein and Heather Rhiannon Morgan admitted their guilt. According to CNBC, the New York duo appeared in federal court and confessed to their involvement in the massive cyberattack that resulted in the theft of $4.5 billion worth of assets. Ilya “Dutch” Lichtenstein pleaded guilty in Washington, D.C., marking a significant case involving the largest financial seizure ever handled by the Department of Justice. Subsequently, Heather Rhiannon Morgan, his wife, also underwent her own plea hearing at the same courthouse.
Bitfinex Hack Culprit Identified After Extended Investigation
The individual responsible for the bitcoin theft at Bitfinex had remained anonymous until Ilya “Dutch” Lichtenstein’s confession in court on Thursday.
In August 2016, this cryptocurrency exchange, experienced a significant security breach, resulting in one of the largest hacking incidents ever recorded in the cryptocurrency industry. The attack led to the theft of approximately 119,756 bitcoins, valued at about $72 million at that time. Subsequently, the Department of Justice (DOJ) apprehended Lichtenstein and Morgan for their involvement in using the illegally obtained funds for extravagant purchases, including gold and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
As part of the ongoing recovery efforts, Bitfinex announced that the funds retrieved from the culprits would be redistributed to the Bitfinex Recovery Right Token holders.