Из жизни альткоинов
Bitfinex Hack Mastermind Released Early From Prison, Credits 2018 Trump Law – Details
The mastermind behind the Bitfinex hack, one of the most prominent cases in crypto security history, has been released early from prison after serving 14 months, under a 2018 law signed by US President Donald Trump.
Bitfinex Hack Mastermind Receives Early ReleaseOn Friday, Ilya Lichtenstein, the mastermind behind the 2016 hack that stole over 120,000 Bitcoin (BTC) from crypto exchange Bitfinex, announced that he had been released from prison a year after receiving a five-year sentence.
On X, Lichtenstein thanked a law signed by President Trump during his first administration for his release. “Thanks to President Trump’s First Step Act, I have been released from prison early,” the post stated.
Notably, Trump signed the bipartisan First Step Act on December 21, 2018, aiming to improve criminal justice outcomes and reduce the size of the federal prison population. The law included a series of reforms, including one to establish a “risk and needs assessment system” that offers some inmates rehabilitative programming and the opportunity to be released early into home confinement.
According to CNBC, A Trump administration official stated on January 2 that the mastermind behind the Bitfinex hack “has served significant time on his sentence and is currently on home confinement consistent with statute and Bureau of Prisons policies.”
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) previously declared that Lichtenstein used advanced hacking techniques and tools to access Bitfinex’s network. He then transferred 119,574 Bitcoin to one of his crypto wallets through more than 2,000 transactions.
At the time, the stolen funds were valued at around $71 million. However, its value has increased exponentially in the past decade, being worth nearly $11 billion at current prices. During his sentencing hearing, he expressed remorse for using his talents on criminal activities “instead of a positive contribution to society.”
“I remain committed to making a positive impact in cybersecurity as soon as I can,” Lichtenstein affirmed on his Friday announcement, thanking his supporters for the help and vowing to prove “the haters” wrong.
Crypto Heist Figures Reunite Under Trump’s LawLichtenstein’s wife, Heather Morgan, reacted to the news online, declaring that being reunited at home with her husband after four years was “the best New Year’s present” she could get.
Morgan, a rapper known online as “Razzlekhan,” entered prison in February 2025 but was released early from prison after eight months under the First Step Act. In late October, she posted a video on X, sharing the news and thanking President Trump for her release.
“It is very good to be back, and I want to give a shout out to Papa Trump for making my 18-month sentence shorter,” she stated. However, it appears that the US President was not directly involved in the decision.
As reported by Bitcoinist, the self-titled “Crocodile of Wall Street” was sentenced to 18 months in prison on November 18, 2024, for her role in the Bitfinex heist. Despite not being involved in the hack, Morgan assisted her husband in laundering the stolen funds by using “numerous sophisticated laundering techniques” to disguise them.
Notably, they used fake identities to create online accounts, deposited the stolen Bitcoin in several darknet markets and crypto exchanges to withdraw the funds, converted BTC to other cryptocurrencies, and deposited part of the funds into crypto mixers. The couple seemingly managed to launder 21% of the total funds stolen from Bitfinex.
At the time, prosecutors argued that Morgan was “a willing participant and bears full responsibility for her actions.” Nonetheless, they noted that she was “a lower-level participant,” which resulted in her reduced sentence.
Эксперт Santiment: Вот что определит судьбу крипторынка в ближайшее время
Суд отклонил иск против миллиардера Марка Кьюбана по делу о продвижении криптоинвестиций
Michael Saylor’s Strategy Anticipated To Disclose ‘Multibillion-Dollar’ Loss In Q4 Report
Strategy, the company formerly known as MicroStrategy, is poised for one of its toughest year-end closings to date, as Bitcoin (BTC) prices have retraced below the $90,000 mark from highs exceeding $126,000. This downturn is expected to culminate in a multibillion-dollar loss when the firm releases its fourth-quarter financial results.
Strategy’s Earnings Expected To PlungeAccording to reports from Bloomberg, Strategy is likely to announce substantial losses that represent a stark contrast to the $2.8 billion profit recorded in the previous third-quarter of the last year.
Aaron Jacob, an associate professor at Brigham Young University and a senior adviser at Taxbit, noted the significance of this shift, stating, “There was this one-time pop, but that is a different story in this quarter. It is going to be a sizable loss.”
The root of this anticipated loss can be traced back to an accounting change implemented in the first quarter of the year, requiring the company to value its cryptocurrency assets at current market prices. Given that Bitcoin tumbled 24% during the fourth quarter, the impact of this decision is now becoming evident.
Following a period of strong performance against benchmark stock indices, the company’s shares have fallen nearly 48% throughout 2025, down to its current trading price of $156.
Saylor’s Wealth Plummets 40%Concerns have also emerged that Strategy may need to sell portions of its Bitcoin holdings to cover mounting expenses, including dividends and interest payments. To mitigate these apprehensions, Strategy established a cash reserve on December 1 by selling common shares.
Strategy also revised its full-year earnings guidance at the beginning of last month. The company is operating under the assumption that Bitcoin will range between $85,000 and $110,000 by year-end.
Based on these projections, it anticipated operating income could range from a loss of $7 billion to a profit of $9.5 billion. However, with Bitcoin finishing the year down 6.5%, the likelihood leans toward a loss closer to the lower end of that spectrum.
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, the company’s co-founder and chairman, Michael Saylor, has also suffered a dramatic drop in personal wealth during this downturn, with his fortune falling by around 40% to approximately $3.8 billion.
Market-To-Net Asset Value Drops To Critical LevelsAs if to compound the company’s challenges, Strategy now faces a potential decline in investor confidence. The enterprise value of the firm is nearing a level that could fall below the value of its Bitcoin holdings for the first time in over two years.
Current data suggests the company’s enterprise value—including its debts and the total notional value of its perpetual preferred stock—stands at approximately $61 billion.
With shares down nearly 70% from the record high reached in November 2024, the company’s market-to-net asset value (mNAV)—a ratio comparing market capitalization and debt to token holdings—has dropped to just above 1.
Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
页面
