TechFlow news — On December 19, Ilya Lichtenstein, who was arrested in 2022 for stealing 120,000 Bitcoin from Bitfinex, posted a five-minute video on X. This marks his first public statement since his arrest. He denied speculations presented in a Netflix documentary suggesting his father’s involvement in the theft or any potential ties to Russian intelligence agencies, emphasizing that the multi-billion-dollar heist was entirely carried out by himself.
According to a U.S. Department of Justice report from August 2023, Lichtenstein used sophisticated hacking techniques to breach the Bitfinex system and transferred 119,754 Bitcoins through more than 2,000 fraudulent transactions. His attorney, Samson Enzer, revealed that with Lichtenstein’s cooperation, law enforcement has recovered approximately 114,601 Bitcoins (about 96% of the stolen amount) along with 29 valuable assets.
In his statement, Lichtenstein expressed deep remorse and pledged continued cooperation under his plea agreement to recover all stolen assets down to the last satoshi. He plans to work in the cybersecurity industry after release from prison, stating, “I understand cyber threats, and I know how to stop them.” A restitution hearing is scheduled for February 2025 to determine whether the recovered assets will be returned to Bitfinex or directly to affected users.
