A haul worth over $3 billion. There’s everything in this story to make a blockbuster and Netflixwhose name is already being bandied about behind the scenes, has a good nose for it. First of all, there’s her: Heather Rhiannon Morgana.k.a. Razzlekhan, 33, rapper in her spare time, business woman accomplished, provocative looks just right and a slightly extroverted personality. Then there’s him: Ilya Lichtensteinaka Dutch, 35, tech entrepreneur, computer whiz, shy and withdrawn. Then finally, this couple is accused of orchestrating Bitfinex’s record-breaking hack in 2016 and stealing 120,000 BTC before attempting to launder them. There you have it, all the ingredients for a story including Hollywood has the secret. Silence, we’re shooting!
An incredible story that would even interest Netflix!
Indeed, it’s hardly surprising that the biggest studios are interested in the details of this story a true story that far surpasses many average scenarios. When you reread the press clippings from the time, you can sense the delight of journalists sure they had the story of the year. A couple of influencers who gravitate towards the financewho makes a spectacle of himself on social networks and suddenly finds himself with the handcuffs in front of cameras from all over the world, there’s bound to be something to keep the public on its toes. general public ! Scandal, glitter, Bitcoinbillion dollars, FBIWith a hotel room full of tickets, reality is definitely more than fiction.
Tracked since 2016 by FBI bloodhounds, they were finally arrested last February and charged with numerous offences, including various plots to defraud and whiten visit 120,000 BTC stolen from Bitfinex in 2016. According to file Ilya Lichtenstein is clearly the author of the hack:
« Lichtenstein used a number of advanced hacking tools and techniques to gain access to the Bitfinex network. Once inside their systems, Lichtenstein fraudulently authorized over 2,000 transactions in which 119,754 bitcoins were transferred from Bitfinex to a crypto-currency wallet under Lichtenstein’s control. Lichtenstein then took steps to cover its tracks (…). After the hack, Lichtenstein enlisted the help of his wife, Morgan, to launder the stolen funds. »
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Theft, money laundering, fraud, the bill could be high for New Yorkers in the Bitfinex affair
After their first appearance, they were released on bail on February 14, and were due to appear again in the next few days to decide whether or not to plead guilty to the charges against them. In the end, the day before yesterday they appeared in federal court at New York and pleaded guiltyboth of them.
Ilya Lichtenstein pleaded guilty to conspiracy to murder whitewash money from Bitfinex, which carries a maximum penalty in the United States of 20 years in prison. Heather Morgan pleaded guilty to conspiracy money laundering money laundering and conspiracy to defraud defraud the United States, both charges carrying a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. But as this story is decidedly made to attract light, the hearings were scheduled today at almost the same time as that of another American media mega-star: Donald Trump ! The former president, also in legal trouble, was due to appear at 4 p.m., and the media were beginning to crowd the building a little too hard. The judge preferred to bring forward the appointment time for the Crypto Coupleas our colleagues on the other side of the Atlantic call them, to avoid any problems.
Finally, it should be noted that the judge specified that certain aspects of the case were the subject of information. classified information to which not everyone would have access. When we tell you that this case is out of the ordinaryis hardly an exaggeration. The fact remains that years in prison are at stake for this duo, who will soon have to explain themselves in court. But whatever happens, the story will go down in the annals of crypto for an 8-figure bitcoin theft, No weapons, no hatred, no violence.
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