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Forbes contributor Heather Morgan and her husband Ilya Lichtenstein have been arrested in Manhattan for allegedly attempting to launder $4.5 billion in stolen Bitcoin. The couple allegedly cashed out 119,754 digital currency, which was stolen as part of the infamous 2016 Bitfinex hack in Hong Kong.
A filed criminal complaint reported that the stolen cryptocurrency was spent on things like gold, NFTs, and also a $500 Walmart gift card.
As the duo attempted their massive theft, they “employed numerous sophisticated laundering techniques,” including fake online accounts and moving money through the dark web. Prosecutors found a bag labeled “burner phones” in their apartment and also uncovered a file named “passport_ideas” on their computer.
Morgan and Lichtenstein could face a maximum sentence of 25 years if they are charged with money laundering and attempting to defraud the States.
How old is Heather Morgan?
The 31-year-old economist aspired to become a rapper, writer, and influencer. In her attempt to take over the internet, Heather Morgan left a trail of videos on TikTok. In one of them, she could be heard singing, “yes, that was cheesy/at least I’m not sleazy.” Since then, she has been performing online under the name of Razzlekhan.
Her official website states:
"Just like her fearless entrepreneurial spirit and hacker mindset, Razz shamelessly explores new frontiers of art."
Heather Morgan’s LinkedIn profile mentioned that she obtained her bachelor’s in economics degree from UC Davis. She described herself as a “serial entrepreneur, SAAS Investor, surrealist artist, and rapper.” A few skills she included in her profile was inside sales and e-mail marketing.
The self-proclaimed “Crocodile of Wall Street” has published articles for Inc and Forbes. She ironically wrote an article titled “Protect Your Business from Cybercriminals” for the latter.
Morgan also has her own YouTube channel, where she has uploaded videos of herself rapping and unboxing hauls. She has also reviewed 13 kinds of aluminum-free deodorants on the platform.
In one of the many music videos she has uploaded online, she can be heard saying in a song called Versace Bedouin:
“Always be a G.O.A.T., not a goddamn sheep.”
Morgan also calls herself the “Turkish Martha Stewart.” She stated in a Forbes article that she decided to pursue rapping after dealing with professional burnout. Morgan said in a Forbes article that she had been receiving legal threats and was bullied by the people she admired.
Who is Ilya Lichtenstein?
The 34-year-old possesses dual Russian-US citizenship. Ilya Lichtenstein studied psychology at the University of Wisconsin and also worked in the business of marketing on the side. He co-founded the company MixRank, which allegedly included billionaire Mark Cuban as one of their investors.
Lichtenstein got engaged to Heather Morgan in 2019 and got married last year. The former described his bride in a Facebook post as his “best friend and the woman of his dreams.” He added that she was “not just a teach entrepreneur” but also a “fearless rapper.”
Lichtenstein’s bond was set to $5 million with five co-signers along with homebound electronic monitoring. Morgan’s bond was set to $3 million with two co-signers and similar monitoring.
