U.S. Government to Return 94,643 Bitcoin Worth $9 Billion to Bitfinex From 2016 Hack

Jan 15, 2025, 02:49 PM

The U.S. government has proposed the return of Bitcoin seized from the 2016 Bitfinex hack to the exchange through in-kind restitution. According to court filings, approximately 94,643 Bitcoin, valued at over $9 billion, will be returned to Bitfinex as part of a plea agreement related to the hack. The hackers, Ilya Lichtenstein and his wife Heather Morgan, have been sentenced to prison and agreed to forfeit the stolen cryptocurrency as part of their plea deals. The remaining 25,000 Bitcoin stolen during the incident will require a more complex claims process due to the laundering attempts by the hackers.