The film company Amazon MGM Studios has launched production of the feature film Razzlekhan, which will tell the story of the hack of the Bitfinex cryptocurrency exchange for 120,000 BTC in 2016. Deadline reports this.
The film is based on a 2022 New York Times article about spouses Ilya Lichtenstein and Heather Morgan, accused of laundering stolen funds.
The film will be directed and written by Hannah Marks. The title of the film corresponds to Morgan's rap name.
In February 2022, US authorities detained the couple and confiscated $3.6 billion worth of bitcoins. That same month, Morgan was released on bail of $3 million. Liechtenstein remained in custody.
In August 2023, the couple pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. Morgan faces up to 10 years in prison, Lichtenstein - up to 20 years. The latter denies any connection with the Bitfinex hack.
According to court documents, Liechtenstein gained access to the exchange's network using "advanced hacking tools." He completed over 2,000 transactions, transferring 119,754 BTC from the exchange to his personal wallet. The defendant then deleted the access credentials and other browsing log files.
He and his wife laundered funds in a variety of ways, from using fictitious identities and mixing services to opening business accounts and buying gold coins.
