Convicted Bitfinex Hacker Claims Early Release Under First Step Act

​Ilya Lichtenstein, who was sentenced to five years in prison for his role in the 2016 Bitfinex hack, announced his early release from custody late Thursday. In a post on X, Lichtenstein attributed his release to the First Step Act, a bipartisan prison reform law signed by President Donald Trump.

"Thanks to President Trump’s First Step Act, I have been released from prison early," Lichtenstein wrote. He added that he remains "committed to making a positive impact in cybersecurity" and looks forward to "proving [haters] wrong."

Lichtenstein, 38, pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy in connection with the theft of approximately 120,000 Bitcoins. He was sentenced in November 2024, with credit given for time served since his 2022 arrest. A Trump administration official reportedly confirmed to CNBC that Lichtenstein has served a substantial portion of his sentence and is now on home confinement, consistent with federal guidelines.

His wife, Heather Morgan, who also pleaded guilty to involvement in the laundering scheme, celebrated the news on social media. "The best New Years present I could get was finally having my husband home after 4 years of being apart," she posted, sharing a selfie of the couple.