He stole 120,000 bitcoins. Now wants to work in cybersecurity
What's the story
Ilya Lichtenstein, the notorious hacker behind a multi-billion dollar cryptocurrency heist in 2016, is seeking redemption. After serving time for stealing 120,000 Bitcoins from Bitfinex exchange, Lichtenstein has publicly acknowledged his past mistakes and expressed a desire to work in cybersecurity. He recently took to LinkedIn to share his journey of transformation and the lessons learned during his time in prison.
Redemption path
Lichtenstein's journey from hacker to asset recovery
In 2023, Lichtenstein and his wife Heather Morgan pleaded guilty to a money laundering conspiracy. The couple was arrested in their Manhattan home in 2022 for their role in the 2016 Bitfinex hack. However, Lichtenstein quickly turned informant, assisting the government in recovering stolen assets and working on various crypto cases. He found fulfillment in working with federal authorities after years of being a black hat hacker.
Career shift
Lichtenstein's prison experience and future aspirations
Lichtenstein was sentenced to five years in prison and spent nearly four years in some of the toughest jails in America. He used his time behind bars to study math books from the prison library, keeping his mind engaged. Released to home confinement earlier this month, Lichtenstein is now looking forward to a career in cybersecurity. He believes his adversarial mindset can be leveraged for good—to prevent future multi-billion dollar hacks.