Accused Bitcoin Laundrer asked to access crypto wallets for tax purposes. –

  • Heather “Razzlekhan” Morgan and her husband Ilya Lichtenstein have alleged for laundering 119,754 Bitcoin looted at the time of the attack on crypto exchange Bitfinex in the year 2016. 
  • She also wants full access to her crypto wallets and exchange accounts to estimate the total amount of tax owed by the couple. 

On September 12, a petition was filed in the court by counsel of Morgan, Burnham, and Gorokhov, PLLC, who looked for the decision of the court if Morgan’s approach to her wallet would breach before trial provisions. 

To determine the total number of taxes owed by her, Ms. Morgan should have to access particular crypto wallets to estimate revenue generated from the crypto assets. The petitioner has talked over this problem with the government, and the government acknowledges Ms. Morgan’s requirement to approach these details,” reads the petition. 

As per the document, the government has accepted the request.

In the petition, it is further stated that provisions of pretrial release restrict Morgan from indulging in crypto transactions. At the same time, this provision does not seem to prohibit Ms. Morgan from solely accessing crypto accounts. The access for those accounts at the brink to indulging in transactions.”

Thus, Ms. Morgan courteously urges the court shed light on that she is allowed to access her crypto wallet along with exchange accounts for some restricted purposes of estimating the total amount of tax owed by her,” reads the petition.

Morgan got bailed in February

In February 2022, Morgan and Lichtenstein got arrested by force in the United States. Both were charged with planning to execute money laundering with reference to the 2016 attack on Bitfinex. In the attack, about 120,000 Bitcoin got looted. 

In 2016, the looted Bitcoin was valued at almost $71 million, but seeing the rough gains in the crypto industry from that time, it was worth more than $4 billion in February, when the couple got arrested. 

After some hearing in February, Morgan was bailed with a handsome amount of $8 million, but Lichtenstein was still left in custody. Forces have also restricted the culprits from indulging in crypto activity as they expect trial. If the couple is found at fault, then they will have to experience 25 years in jail.  

After about six months, Morgan took Twitter to respond that now she isn’t involved in crypto or any NFT projects. 

Steve Anderrson
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Source: https://www.thecoinrepublic.com/2022/09/16/accused-bitcoin-laundrer-asked-to-access-crypto-wallets-for-tax-purposes/