Bitfinex hacker Ilya Lichtenstein addresses his role after sentencing

Ilya Lichtenstein, the hacker behind the 2016 Bitfinex hack, has issued a statement following his sentencing to five years in prison.

On December 19, Lichtenstein took to social media to clarify his role in the attack, which led to the theft and laundering of thousands of Bitcoin (CRYPTO:BTC).

"I knew what I was doing was wrong and did it anyway because I didn’t care, I didn’t care about anyone else except myself," Lichtenstein confessed to executing the Bitfinex hack alone.

"I planned and executed the Bitfinex heist entirely by myself, and I am the one who bears full responsibility for everything that has happened," he went on to say.

He specifically urged his followers not to blame his wife, Heather Morgan, who was also implicated in the money laundering scheme.

“She didn’t even know about it for years,” Lichtenstein emphasised that Morgan had no knowledge of the hack.

Morgan, also known by her rapper name "Razzlekhan," was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy charges related to money laundering and defrauding the United States.

Since her sentencing, she has been active on social media, sharing her experience under home arrest and promoting her Cameo video messages.

The Bitfinex hack resulted in the theft of 119,754 BTC, worth over $12 billion.

Lichtenstein and Morgan were arrested in 2022 for laundering the stolen funds.

The U.S. authorities seized the funds, and Lichtenstein has confirmed that reimbursements to Bitfinex users will begin by the first quarter of next year.

A restitution hearing for the case is scheduled for February 21.

The hack and its aftermath have attracted significant media attention, including a Netflix documentary series.

"My dad is no hacker. He doesn’t even know how to use Instagram," stated Lichtenstein, denying allegations that his father was involved in the hack.