Russian hacker Ilya Lichtenstein released early after Bitfinex hack sentence reduced
Russian Ilya Lichtenstein, who with a partner hacked the Bitfinex exchange in 2016 stealing $4.5 billion, was released early thanks to a reduced sentence under the U.S. First Step Act signed by Donald Trump. Although sentenced to five years in prison in November 2024, Lichtenstein served just over one year behind bars.
This was reported by Russian propaganda media
Lichtenstein and his accomplice were found guilty of a large-scale cybercrime inflicting massive losses on the exchange. The First Step Act aims to encourage rehabilitation of convicts and allows for sentence reductions under certain conditions.
This ruling may set a precedent for other cases where punishments are re-evaluated with rehabilitative measures, potentially leading to a reduction in the prison population in the United States.
