Heather “Razzlekhan” Morgan’s function within the $10.8 billion Bitfinex hack has earned her almost two years in jail time, a courtroom stated on Nov. 18.
Morgan conspired with associate Ilya Lichtenstein to steal 120,000 Bitcoin (BTC) – value $17 million again then – from the crypto change Bitfinex. The legal couple pleaded responsible to conspiracy and cash laundering in July 2023 following their arrest in February 2022.
U.S. District Courtroom of the District of Columbia Decide Colleen Kollar-Kotelly stated Morgan willfully dedicated critical crimes and solely stopped when compelled to by legislation enforcement. Morgan claimed she discovered of Lichtenstein’s theft after the very fact. Her assertion on the listening to expressed disgrace and remorse for aiding her husband within the Bitfinex hack.
You had been true companions on this laundering scheme. You didn’t cease voluntarily however stopped if you obtained arrested.
Decide Colleen Kollar-Kotelly
A U.S. courtroom dominated that Morgan ought to be issued an 18-month sentence, as beneficial by prosecutors. Lichtenstein, the hack’s mastermind, was sentenced to 5 years in jail final week.
The utmost penalties would have totaled 25 years behind bars. Nonetheless, Lichtenstein and Morgan laundered round a fifth of the illicit features. The couple additionally forfeited all proceeds from the heist after federal authorities stated they defrauded the U.S. and employed well-planned methods to wash the cash.
Lichtenstein and Morgan swapped belongings throughout a number of chains, used crypto mixers to veil their on-chain footprints, exchanged crypto on darkish net markets, and purchased gold to launder the stolen wealth, in response to investigators.
