Ilya Lichtenstein Denies Third-Party Involvement in Bitfinex Hack

Ilya Lichtenstein, who pleaded guilty to the 2016 theft of 120,000 Bitcoin from Bitfinex, released a video statement on Thursday rejecting claims of external involvement in the heist. In the five-minute video posted on X, Lichtenstein addressed allegations from a Netflix documentary suggesting his father or foreign intelligence agencies were involved.

“I Alone Am Responsible”

“I planned and executed the Bitfinex heist entirely by myself,” Lichtenstein stated, adding that allegations implicating his father are “utterly false and absurd.”

The 2016 hack, one of crypto’s largest breaches, involved Bitcoin valued at $72 million at the time, now worth over $12.6 billion. Prosecutors previously confirmed that Lichtenstein’s wife, Heather “Razzlekhan” Morgan, only became involved after the hack and pleaded guilty to laundering a portion of the stolen funds.

Lichtenstein clarified: “While my wife pleaded guilty to laundering some funds, she was not involved in the hack and didn’t know about it for years.”

Returning Stolen Funds

Lichtenstein highlighted his cooperation with authorities: “I’ve worked to return every asset as required by my plea agreement, with over $10 billion expected to be recovered by early next year.” He also expressed remorse: “I hacked Bitfinex and laundered Bitcoin. I deeply regret my actions and take full responsibility.”

Looking Ahead

Lichtenstein plans to work in cybersecurity after his release: “Having been a hacker, I understand cyber threats and how to stop them.”

He encouraged viewers to consult court documents for accurate information: “You can read the publicly available documents and draw your own conclusions.”

At the time of reporting, neither Bitfinex nor Netflix had commented. Bitcoin was valued at $102,371.

#Cybersecurity #BitcoinHack #Blockchain #DigitalCrime #Accountability