CNBC reports that Ilya Lichtenstein, who stole nearly 120,000 bitcoin from the Bitfinex cryptocurrency exchange, said he was released from prison early under the First Step Act signed by President Donald Trump.
Lichtenstein was sentenced in November 2024 to five years in prison after pleading guilty to money laundering and admitting to the hack, which involved crypto assets now worth billions. In a post on X, he wrote, "Thanks to President Trump's First Step Act, I have been released from prison early."
A Trump administration official told CNBC that Lichtenstein "has served significant time on his sentence and is currently on home confinement consistent with statute and Bureau of Prisons policies."
His attorneys did not comment. Federal records still list his release date as Feb. 9. President Trump signed the First Step Act in 2018 to reduce the federal prison population through sentencing and release reforms. It is unclear whether Trump or the White House directly intervened in the case.
Lichtenstein was sentenced in November 2024 to five years in prison after pleading guilty to money laundering and admitting to the hack, which involved crypto assets now worth billions. In a post on X, he wrote, "Thanks to President Trump's First Step Act, I have been released from prison early."
A Trump administration official told CNBC that Lichtenstein "has served significant time on his sentence and is currently on home confinement consistent with statute and Bureau of Prisons policies."
His attorneys did not comment. Federal records still list his release date as Feb. 9. President Trump signed the First Step Act in 2018 to reduce the federal prison population through sentencing and release reforms. It is unclear whether Trump or the White House directly intervened in the case.
