Heather Morgan, a Forbes writer, and her husband, Ilya Lichtenstein, were detained in Manhattan for allegedly trying to launder $4.5 billion in stolen Bitcoin. The pair reportedly paid off 119,754 digital money stolen during the historic Bitfinex hack in Hong Kong in 2016. According to a criminal complaint, the stolen bitcoin was spent on gold, NFTs, and a $500 Walmart gift card.
As part of their enormous crime, the pair “used several sophisticated laundering tactics,” such as creating bogus internet accounts and transporting money over the dark web. Prosecutors discovered a suitcase labeled “burner phones” in their residence, as well as a file on their computer called “passport ideas.”
If Morgan and Lichtenstein are charged with money laundering and trying to deceive the United States, they may face a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.
Heather Morgan bio
The 31-year-old economist hoped to be a rapper, writer, and social influencer. Heather Morgan left a trail of TikTok videos in her quest to take over the internet. “Yes, it was cheesy/at least I’m not sleazy,” she could be heard singing in one of them. Since then, she has been performing as Razzlekhan on the internet.
According to her official website:
“Like her bold business attitude and hacker mentality, Razz explores new artistic horizons unashamedly.”
Heather Morgan’s LinkedIn page said that she received her bachelor’s degree in economics from UC Davis. She identified as a “serial entrepreneur, SAAS investor, surrealist artist, and rapper.” Inside sales and e-mail marketing were two of the abilities she listed in her profile. The self-styled “Crocodile of Wall Street” has written for Inc and Forbes. She ironically produced an essay for the latter titled “Protect Your Business from Cybercriminals.”
Morgan also has a YouTube account where she posts videos of herself rapping and unwrapping hauls. On the platform, she has also tested 13 different aluminum-free deodorants. In one of the several music videos she has posted online, she can be heard stating in Versace Bedouin:
“Always be a G.O.A.T., never a sheep.”
Morgan refers to herself as the “Turkish Martha Stewart.” According to a Forbes article, she chose to explore rapping after experiencing professional burnout. Morgan said in a Forbes piece that she had received legal threats and was being tormented by individuals she liked.
Who is Ilya Lichtenstein?
The 34-year-old has dual Russian-American citizenship. Ilya Lichtenstein studied psychology at the University of Wisconsin while simultaneously working in the marketing industry on the side. He was a co-founder of the startup MixRank, which supposedly had billionaire Mark Cuban as an investor.
Lichtenstein proposed to Heather Morgan in 2019 and married her the following year. In a Facebook post, the former hailed his bride as his “best friend and the lady of his dreams.” He went on to say that she was “not just a great businesswoman,” but also a “fearless rapper.” The bail for Lichtenstein was set at $5 million, with five co-signers and homebound electronic surveillance. Morgan’s bond was established at $3 million, with two co-signers and comparable oversight.
