Kriti Mehrotra
With Netflix’s ‘Biggest Heist Ever’ shining a light upon one of the most expensive cyber hackings in modern history and the unsuspecting couple behind it, we get a documentary unlike any other. That’s because it explores not just the relationship between Heather Morgan and Ilya Lichtenstein, AKA Bitcoin’s Bonnie and Clyde, but also their once-public lifestyles and past experiences. We specify their past because it has since been seriously alleged that Ilya (better known as Dutch among loved ones) learned how to hack from his father, Yevgeniy “Eugene” “Deuce” Lichtenstein.
Eugene Lichtenstein Was Allegedly a Hacker at One Point
Although a native of southern Russia, Yevgeniy “Eugene” “Deuce” Lichtenstein reportedly immigrated to the small town of Glenview, just outside of Chicago, Illinois, over three decades ago to provide a better life for his family. However, by the time 2005 rolled around, he was allegedly in dire need of some quick finances and ended up hacking into the First National Bank of Indiana, only to be unable to cash out. According to the aforementioned film, this hacker then reportedly went on the organized cybercrime community ShadowCrew under the moniker Deuce in the hopes of getting a few genuine tips.
Yet, little did anybody know at the time that this society’s founder, Brett Johnson, was a cybercriminal turned FBI informant, so he was subsequently ordered to pay close attention to Deuce. No one could have ever imagined Deuce would then somehow manage to hack into Brett’s FBI issues devices and learn his truth, following which he contacted him as an opportunist, per the documentary film. The former criminal could never identify him, yet the FBI allegedly positively linked Deuce to Yevgeniy, who had Americanized his name to Eugene, only for him to reportedly almost immediately cooperate. According to records, Eugene agreed to become an FBI informant, too, in exchange for no charges against him being filed.
Eugene and Ilya Lichtenstein’s Hacking Activities Allegedly Had a Similar Pattern
While nothing has ever been confirmed by officials as of writing, it is believed that Ilya’s passion for computers and hacking has always stemmed from his witnessing his father’s work. After all, as per the original production, his August 2, 2016, hacking of the Hong Kong-based cryptocurrency exchange Bitfinex was eerily similar to Eugene’s alleged 2005 hacking of the First National Bank of Indiana. The fact neither of them had left a trace behind yet faced similar issues in the end – not being able to cash out – is also a very significant connection between the two financial crimes.
Moreover, and most importantly, it has been alleged that Ilya actually carried on his father’s legacy through his offense, especially considering the online moniker he often used to use. While Eugene reportedly used to go by Manus Dei, or Deuce for short, which means “Hand of God,” his son went by Deus Machina, or Deus and Dutch, which literally translates to “God Machine.” So, cybercriminal experts like Brett Johnson do wholeheartedly believe Ilya essentially paid homage to his father with his decision to hack Bitfinex in the same manner he allegedly hacked the First National Bank of Indiana.
Eugene Lichtenstein is Leading a Quiet Life in Illinois Today
Since there has never been any official charge filed against Eugene, he has managed to lead a relatively comfortable, stable, and quiet life alongside his loved ones in Glenview, Illinois. The Rostov Institute of Agricultural Engineering graduate actually served as a rather successful real estate agent around his county for a while, too, yet it appears as if he is now happily retired. In fact, it seems like he has been making the most of his free time over the past few years by taking up different hobbies and traveling the world — most recently, in the summer of 2024, he visited Italy. We should mention he has never once made any public comments regarding his alleged crimes or his son’s.
Read More: Frankie Cavazos: Where is the Cyber Hack Victim Now?
