Originally published on: November 20, 2024
A MacBook Pro once belonging to an IRS agent who tracked and seized 120,000 stolen Bitcoin from Bitfinex in 2016 will be showcased at Washington, DC’s prestigious Smithsonian Institution.
Ellen Feingold, curator for the National Numismatic Collection (NNC), highlighted the significance of this laptop in a recent article for Smithsonian Magazine. She noted that the case involving the stolen Bitcoin revealed a growing understanding of cryptocurrency.
The laptop belonged to former IRS Special Agent Chris Janczewski, who now leads global investigations at blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs. Janczewski played a crucial role in uncovering the keys to the 120,000 Bitcoin stolen from Bitfinex by Ilya Lichtenstein, who was recently sentenced to five years in prison for the hack.
In addition to Lichtenstein’s sentence, his wife Heather Morgan, also known as “Razzlekhan,” was sentenced to 18 months for her involvement in laundering the stolen Bitcoin.
The laptop’s inclusion in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History is a testament to the groundbreaking nature of the case. The Department of Justice hailed the seizure of the Bitcoin, which was valued at $3.6 billion in 2022, as its largest financial seizure ever.
Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui, who proposed the idea of featuring Janczewski’s laptop at the Smithsonian, emphasized the importance of documenting the Bitfinex case for historical purposes.
Feingold expressed challenges in collecting physical objects associated with Bitcoin due to its digital nature. However, the NCC has amassed a collection that includes Bitcoin magazine issues, physical Bitcoin tokens, and 3D-printed Bitcoin jewelry.
The exhibition of Janczewski’s laptop at the Smithsonian’s “The Value of Money” gallery is scheduled to reopen in late 2024. This display serves as a tribute to the evolving landscape of cryptocurrency and its impacts on traditional financial institutions.
