American Couple’s Bitcoin Heist Story to be Adapted into Film by Amazon and MGM
An upcoming film called “Razzlekhan” will depict the true story of Ilya Lichtenstein and Heather Morgan, an American couple who stole over $3 billion worth of Bitcoin in 2016. The movie is a collaboration between Amazon and MGM Studios, with Hannah Marks as the director. The film draws inspiration from a 2022 article in The New York Times.
The Plot of “Razzlekhan”
The film revolves around the criminal activities of Lichtenstein and Morgan, who were eventually caught by the Department of Justice (DOJ). They faced conspiracy charges for laundering the stolen Bitcoin. The title “Razzlekhan” is derived from Morgan’s rapper stage name.
Seizure of Stolen Bitcoins
After their arrest in February 2022, authorities seized over 95,000 Bitcoins, valued at nearly $3.6 billion. This marked the largest seizure in the history of the agency. The DOJ also recovered an additional $475 million worth of cryptocurrency stolen in the hack.
Details of the Bitfinex Hack
Court documents revealed that Lichtenstein orchestrated the hack in 2016, gaining unauthorized access to Bitfinex’s network through sophisticated hacking tools and techniques. He executed over 2,000 fraudulent transactions, transferring 119,754 BTC to his crypto wallet. Lichtenstein tampered with Bitfinex’s system to cover his tracks.
Penalties for the Couple
Lichtenstein faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering. Morgan could face up to five years of imprisonment after pleading guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy and another count of conspiracy to defraud the United States.
Release Date of the Film
The release date for “Razzlekhan” has not been announced yet. The film is highly anticipated as it is produced by Amazon and MGM Studios.
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