At the time, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said the $3.6 billion worth of assets recovered in the case was the largest financial seizure in Justice Department history.
“It is important to send the message that if you commit a crime like this, you will not go unpunished and there are consequences,” District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said.
Lichtenstein, who has been in prison since his arrest in February 2022, expressed regret for his actions.
He also said he would like to apply his skills to fighting cybercrime after completing his sentence.
Morgan also pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy charges last year. She is scheduled to be sentenced on November 18.
According to court documents, Liechtenstein used advanced hacking tools and techniques to hack Bitfinex.
After the hack, he enlisted Morgan’s help to launder the stolen funds.
“They used numerous sophisticated laundering techniques,” the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) said in a statement., external.
The methods included using virtual identities, converting funds to other cryptocurrencies, and purchasing gold coins.
Prosecutors said Lichtenstein, who was born in Russia and raised in the United States, met a courier during a family trip and took the laundered money home.
