The United States Department of Justice has announced that it has seized over $ 3.6 billion bitcoin allegedly stolen linked to the 2016 Bitfinex hack.
Officials said they arrested Elijah Lichtenstein, 34, and his wife, Heather Morgan, 31. The couple is expected to appear at their first hearing in a federal court in a second time.
Lisa Monaco, the deputy attorney general, said in a statement that it represented the largest financial forfeiture ever for the agency.
Authorities accuse the couple of attempting to launder the proceeds of 119,754 bitcoin which were stolen from the Bitfinex platform after it breached Bitfinex systems and initiated more than 2,000 unauthorized transactions. Prosecutors say the transactions sent the bitcoin stolen from Liechtenstein’s digital wallet.
Officials claimed to have been in able to seize more than 94,000 bitcoin, which were worth approximately $ 3.6 billion at the time of the confiscation. Overall, the total value of the bitcoin stolen is currently estimated in about $ 4.5 billion.
“Today, federal law enforcement is making it clear once again that we can trace money through the blockchain and that we will not allow cryptocurrency to be a safe haven for money laundering or a ‘area of chaos within our financial system, “added Attorney General Kenneth. Polite Jr said in a note.
The husband was charged with conspiracy to money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and conspiracy to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
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