A MacBook Pro, previously owned by an Internal Revenue Service agent, has made its way to the esteemed National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. This laptop was crucial in tracing and appropriating 120,000 Bitcoin that had been stolen from the crypto exchange Bitfinex during a significant hack in 2016. The case highlights the evolving landscape of cryptocurrency and showcases advances in digital forensics.
The laptop belonged to Chris Janczewski, a former IRS Special Agent who now leads global investigations at a blockchain intelligence firm. Janczewski played an instrumental role in unveiling the details surrounding the theft orchestrated by Ilya Lichtenstein, who was recently sentenced to five years in prison for his actions. His unique approach to the blockchain — viewing it as a digital crime scene — enabled the identification of the suspects and the successful seizure of their digital assets.
Lichtenstein, alongside his wife Heather Morgan, engaged in laundering the stolen cryptocurrency. Morgan, known for her rap persona “Razzlekhan,” received an 18-month prison sentence for her involvement in the scheme. The Department of Justice noted that the seized Bitcoin was valued at approximately $3.6 billion at the time, marking it the largest financial seizure in the agency’s history.
The idea to feature Janczewski’s laptop in the Smithsonian originated from Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui, who aimed to highlight the importance of the Bitfinex case. The National Numismatic Collection, which documents the history of money through a vast assemblage of over 1.6 million items, noted the challenge in collecting physical artifacts related to Bitcoin due to its digital nature.
Currently, the collection includes a Bitcoin magazine, a few physical tokens, and some 3D-printed jewelry. There are calls for more Bitcoin -related items to be incorporated, illustrating the cryptocurrency’s emergence as an alternative financial system in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. Janczewski’s laptop will find its place within the museum’s “The Value of Money” gallery, set to reopen in late 2024.
