US Couple Accused of Laundering Crypto from Bitfinex Hack Strikes Plea Deal: Reuters
According to court records revealed on Friday, a U.S. couple charged with money laundering $4.5 billion in cryptocurrency, which was stolen during the 2016 cyberattack on Bitfinex (a virtual currency exchange), have reached a plea agreement with federal prosecutors in Washington.
Because Bitcoin
July 21, 2023
As per a Reuters report, court records revealed that an American couple, Ilya Lichtenstein and Heather Morgan from Manhattan, who were arrested in February 2022, have reached a plea agreement with federal prosecutors in Washington. They are accused of laundering $4.5 billion in cryptocurrency, which was stolen from the 2016 hack of the virtual currency exchange Bitfinex.
The couple is scheduled to appear for a plea hearing on August 3 before U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly in Washington. The charges relate to their alleged conspiracy to launder over 100,000 bitcoin, which had been stolen in the hack and was valued at $71 million at the time but appreciated to over $4.5 billion.
Requests for comments from the couple's lawyer and the U.S. Attorney's office in Washington have not been immediately responded to, as per Reuters.
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