Bitfinex hacker Ilya Lichtenstein credits Trump for early release from prison

Ilya Lichtenstein, who pleaded guilty to money laundering charges connected to the historic hack of cryptocurrency exchange Bitfinex, appears to have been released from prison earlier than expected.

In a post shared on X Thursday evening, Ilya Lichtenstein said he was released ahead of schedule “thanks to President Trump’s First Step Act,” referring to the criminal justice reform legislation signed into law during Donald Trump’s first term.

Thanks to President Trump's First Step Act, I have been released from prison early.
I remain committed to making a positive impact in cybersecurity as soon as I can.

To the supporters, thank you for everything.
To the haters, I look forward to proving you wrong. — Ilya Lichtenstein (@cipherstein) January 2, 2026

“I remain committed to making a positive impact in cybersecurity as soon as I can,” Lichtenstein wrote. “To the supporters, thank you for everything. To the haters, I look forward to proving you wrong.”

Lichtenstein and his wife, Heather Morgan, were arrested by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2022. Authorities seized approximately $3.6 billion worth of bitcoin linked to the 2016 hack of Bitfinex, one of the largest cryptocurrency thefts ever uncovered.

Following their arrest, the couple drew widespread attention and later became the subject of a Netflix documentary titled Biggest Heist Ever.

Lichtenstein ultimately admitted his role in laundering the stolen cryptocurrency and was sentenced to five years in federal prison.

It remains unclear whether the Trump administration directly intervened in his release. An administration official told CNBC that Lichtenstein “has served significant time on his sentence and is currently on home confinement consistent with statute and Bureau of Prisons policies.”