[ad_1]
By CCN.com: Suspects of the "Big Bitcoin Heist" of 2018 have been sentenced to various prison terms for their involvement in the highly publicized theft of more than three quarters of a million dollars of cryptographic equipment.
Crypto thieves imprisoned in Iceland
Leader Sindri Stefanson was sentenced to four and a half years in prison. In all, seven people were charged in the case of the theft of more than 600 cryptocurrency mining platforms. The equipment, valued at 96 million Swedish kronor (about $ 800,000), has still not been recovered, with speculation that it could be in China.
The thieves stole the items during three travels spreading out over a few weeks as of December 5, 2018. Mastermind Stefansson gained worldwide notoriety after his first arrest when he escaped from his prison cell in Iceland and took a commercial flight to Stockholm, Sweden. From there he connected to Germany by train, ferry and taxi, but his luck failed in Amsterdam where he was apprehended after being declared an international fugitive with his identity snapshot widely broadcast.
It is interesting to note that Stefansson did not escape the prison because it is not a crime in Iceland. During his stay in Amsterdam, he gave an interview to the New York Times, where he expressed regret for not being left lightly. He stated that he was anxious to return to prison in Iceland because he was undernourished and felt threatened in Amsterdam.
End of the Icelandic saga
Stefansson, who had several priors and a long rap sheet, was charged with theft and sentenced to four and a half years in prison. The court also sentenced Matthías Jón Karlsson, who admitted to having entered the data processing center and entered it, to two and a half years in prison.
Co-conspirator Hafthór Logi Hlynsson will also serve 20 months in prison after being charged with robbery planning and preparation, while Peter Stanislav Karlsson and Viktor Ingi Jónbadon will each spend one and a half years in prison.
The last two suspects had lighter punishments. Ivar Gylfason was sentenced to 15 months in prison, including 12 suspended sentences. Kjartan Sveinarsson – who facilitated communication between two of the other conspirators – must serve a six-month sentence.
In addition to jail sentences, criminals must also pay to Advania, the company they stole, the sum of 33 million ISK (about 272,000 USD) in compensation.
However, Iceland continues to be a haven for bitcoin miners because of the cold weather and the low electricity consumption generated by its huge geothermal energy reserves.
Featured image of Shutterstock
Source link
