Dual US-Russian citizen Ilya Lichtenstein and his wife Heather Morgan have reached a plea deal with prosecutors to settle charges related to an alleged $4.5 billion cryptocurrency laundering scheme, a court filing revealed on Friday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st July, 2023) Dual US-Russian citizen Ilya Lichtenstein and his wife Heather Morgan have reached a plea deal with prosecutors to settle charges related to an alleged $4.5 billion cryptocurrency laundering scheme, a court filing revealed on Friday.
"The Court ORDERS Defendant ILYA LICHTENSTEIN (1) to appear for an arraignment and plea hearing on August 3, 2023 at 10:00 am in Courtroom 28A. The Court ORDERS Defendant HEATHER RHIANNON MORGAN (2) to appear for an arraignment and plea hearing on August 3, 2023 at 1:00 pm in Courtroom 28A," the court filing stated.
The court filing said the parties in the case must provide the court "a copy of the plea agreement" by July 27, indicating that the couple entered into a deal with prosecutors in the case.
A Federal attorney involved in the case and Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly's chamber declined to comment to Sputnik when asked about the plea deal.
Lichtenstein's lawyer did not immediately respond to Sputnik's request for comment on the matter.
Lichtenstein and Morgan are accused of conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to defraud the United States, charges which carry maximum sentences of 20 years and five years in prison, respectively. A US federal court initially granted Lichtenstein and Morgan bail on bonds totaling $8 million before the decision was challenged and subject to review.
Lichtenstein was born in Russia and emigrated with his family to the United States as a child to avoid religious persecution. Russian Consul General Sergey Ovsyannikov told Sputnik that Lichtenstein has not attempted to contact the Russian Consulate for assistance.
