US Government Made a Statement About the 4 Billion Dollar Bitcoin Hack Incident

The US government has stated that Bitfinex may have been the sole victim in the 2016 attack by Ilya Lichtenstein and Heather Morgan, but is still asking the court to provide Bitfinex customers an opportunity to file claims.

The information comes from a recent filing by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.

According to the application, the government said, “The government, CVRA [Suç Mağdurları Hakları Yasası] who qualify as victims under the MVRA or [Zorunlu Mağdur Tazminat Yasası] “He is not aware of any individuals who have received compensation beyond perhaps Bitfinex,” he said. Both Lichtenstein, Morgan, and Bitfinex’s parent company iFinex claimed that Bitfinex was the sole victim of the 2016 attack.

Following the attack, iFinex offered its customers several options, including selling Bitfinex-issued tokens known as BFX on the open market or exchanging them for cash or iFinex shares, among other alternatives. The filing states that as of April 3, 2017, all BFX tokens have been fully redeemed by customers.

Despite this, the government is proceeding “cautiously” and trying to provide Bitfinex account holders with the opportunity to present their potential claims before the penalty. The government sought court approval to use multiple reporting methods, including posting information on the Department of Justice website, to reach affected customers.

Lichtenstein and Morgan, also known by his rapper moniker “Razzlekhan,” pleaded guilty in August 2023 to charges of conspiracy to launder money in connection with the 2016 hack. According to the government, the duo was accused of conspiring to launder 119,754 Bitcoins (BTC) stolen during the breach, valued at approximately $71 million at the time.

*This is not investment advice.