The US Division of Justice (DOJ) has launched an internet site to gather data from people affected by the 2016 Bitfinex hack, in response to a Nov. 7 assertion.
The DOJ introduced it was inviting statements from these impacted by the hack, together with affected Bitfinex account holders. This initiative goals to assemble particulars on how the hack affected these people.
Apparently, the DOJ clarified that, below the Crime Victims’ Rights Act (CVRA), it doesn’t acknowledge any “victims” associated to the offenses on this case. Nevertheless, the division acknowledged that it was cautiously continuing with the initiative.
The DOJ stated it’s in search of statements from anybody doubtlessly harmed by the defendant’s actions, together with particulars related to the upcoming sentencing of these concerned.
In an Oct. 8 court docket submitting, the DOJ recognized Bitfinex as the one occasion eligible for restitution. It additionally famous that it’s unaware of another people who meet the CVRA’s definition of a sufferer on this case.
Bitfinex hack
The 2016 hack occurred when Ilya Lichtenstein reportedly accessed Bitfinex’s techniques and stole roughly 120,000 Bitcoin, valued at $72 million on the time. With the rise in Bitcoin’s worth, this quantity now totals round $9.2 billion.
After the theft, Lichtenstein and his spouse, Heather Morgan, who goes by the alias “Razzlekhan,” used a number of complicated strategies to launder the funds. Their ways concerned utilizing a number of transaction layers, crypto mixers, non-compliant exchanges, and darknet markets. The couple additionally moved proceeds of the hack by financial institution accounts in and outdoors the US.
Final month, prosecutors beneficial an 18-month jail sentence for Morgan for her function in cash laundering and a five-year sentence for Lichtenstein. Morgan is in search of a sentence of time served to keep away from additional imprisonment.
Lichtenstein is scheduled for sentencing on Nov. 14, adopted by Morgan’s sentencing the following day.