Netflix is releasing a new docuseries ‘Biggest Heist Ever’ on December 6, 2024, about the infamous criminal couple that earned the names Bitcoin Bonnie and Clyde. The further you get into the documentary, the crazier their story gets. Ilya Lichtenstein and Heather ‘Razzlekhan’ Morgan pulled off the biggest financial heist in human history. When they were arrested, it was estimated they had stolen $71 million in Bitcoin. However, that equates to more than $10 billion of stolen funds today. They were finally sentenced this past week in connection with the 2016 hack of the Bitfinex cryptocurrency exchange
‘Biggest Heist Ever’
Ilya Lichtenstein and Heather Morgan, now known as Bitcoin Bonnie and Clyde, are no ordinary married couple. Their social media presence was a distraction from what was taking place behind the scenes. They were aspiring rappers posting the most bizarre content while they stole millions in cryptocurrencies. In 2022, they were arrested in their New York City apartment for what the Justice Department considers to be the “largest financial seizure ever.” In 2023, they pleaded guilty to their crimes relating to money laundering. Lichtenstein was taken into custody while Morgan was under house arrest until they were sentenced this year.
Due to the complexity of their scheme, the couple was able to go undetected by law enforcement for so long. They utilized many laundering techniques such as creating fake identities, making small transactions, depositing a variety of currency exchanges, and setting up automated transactions. It only took Netflix a few days after Bitcoin Bonnie and Clyde were arrested to order a docuseries on their story. The documentary details the couple’s plot and explains how they exchanged currencies from other countries and created fake identities to deposit the currency.
Prison Sentencing
Lichtenstein was charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering. Since he pleaded guilty, he faced up to 20 years in prison. However, he accepted a cooperation agreement to testify to law enforcement without an attorney present to receive a lesser sentence. Morgan received more of a slap on the wrist than her other half. She was charged with one count of money laundering conspiracy and one count of conspiracy to defraud. Both charges add up to a maximum sentence of 10 years. Lichtenstein put most of the blame on himself and explained he wrongfully involved his wife in his scheme. Morgan’s charges were due to her involvement in concealing her husband’s actions while knowing he was conducting unlawful activity.
Morgan was sentenced to 18 months in prison on November 18, 2024, while her husband, Lichtenstein, was sentenced to five years on November 15. Prosecutors showed leniency to Morgan in their sentencing memo partly because she was unaware of the stolen funds until 2020. The memo addressed her clean rap sheet and the prosecutors wrote, “She established and operated her own small business and presented as an intelligent, resourceful individual.” They continued, “Prior to and other than her involvement in her husband’s scheme, she used her professional skill set for legitimate ends and had a record of being a productive member of society.”
Final Thoughts
Bitcoin Bonnie and Clyde have expressed their remorse. They accepted full responsibility after being caught, not that it made what they did better, but it was the first step towards rehabilitation. Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, who sentenced the couple, did not seem as convinced by their apologies to the court. During their sentencing, she stated they only quit committing crimes because they got caught, not because they felt sorry for it. It will be interesting to see how Netflix’s docuseries ‘Biggest Heist Ever’ follows their case and how they will tell their story.
