The new development in the 2016 Bitfinex hacker case that shocked the crypto world has emerged. Hacker Ilya Lichtenstein has been released early due to his involvement in a rehabilitation program. What is the reason behind this? It turns out that the First Step Act signed by former U.S. President Donald Trump in 2018 is playing a role — this law provides inmates with the opportunity to reduce their sentences through participation in rehabilitation programs.

Regarding the scale of this case, it is indeed shocking. Lichtenstein was charged with assisting in money laundering of nearly 120,000 bitcoins. At the time of the incident, these bitcoins were worth approximately $4.5 billion. In November 2024, he was sentenced to 5 years in prison. But now, thanks to the sentence reduction policy, he has been released early.

This case reflects the complexity of cryptocurrency security — even at the exchange level, hacking incidents involving cross-border money laundering often take years to pursue and prosecute. It also serves as a reminder to market participants of the importance of compliance and risk prevention.