Object Details
Associated Name
Internal Revenue Service
United States Department of Justice
Description
This laptop was part of the largest financial seizure in U.S. history in 2022. IRS agent Chris Janczewski used this laptop to investigate the theft of nearly 120,000 bitcoin from Bitfinex, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges. Hacker Ilya Lichtenstein used sophisticated techniques to steal the bitcoin from Bitfinex. He and his wife, Heather Morgan, then worked together to launder the stolen cryptocurrency. This laptop held the data Janczewski and his team needed in order to trace and seize $3.6 billion of the stolen funds on behalf of the U.S. government.
Credit Line
Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, U.S. Department of the Treasury
date used
2021 - 2023
date made
2019
ID Number
2024.0098.1
catalog number
2024.0098.1
accession number
2024.0098
Object Name
laptop
Physical Description
metals; plastic; glass (overall material)
silver (overall color)
Measurements
overall closed: 24.1 cm x 35 cm x 1.78 cm; 9 1/2 in x 13 25/32 in x 11/16 in
overall open: 35 cm x 1 cm; 13 25/32 in x 13/32 in
place used
United States
See more items in
Work and Industry: National Numismatic Collection
Exhibition
Value of Money
Exhibition Location
National Museum of American History
Data Source
National Museum of American History
Subject
Cryptocurrencies
Link to Original Record
Record ID
nmah_2040526