Netflix has received a cease-and-desist letter over its documentary “Biggest Heist Ever,” related to the 2016 Bitfinex Bitcoin theft.
120,000 bitcoins were stolen in a hack involving Heather “Razzlekhan” Morgan and her husband, Ilya Lichtenstein. Lichtenstein was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison.
Morgan pleaded guilty to laundering the stolen funds and received an 18-month sentence. However, her legal team disputes claims that she was directly involved in the hacking.
Morgan’s lawyer sent the letter accusing Netflix and the production company of defamation and invading privacy. The lawyer argues that the documentary falsely claims Morgan and Lichtenstein bought passports and debit cards on the dark web. They also say this is untrue and could have been easily verified.
Moaran’s legal team also claimed that she was not involved in the hack, and these false claims harm her reputation. The letters also claim the film falsely portrays Morgan’s father-in-law as a hacker, which her lawyers call defamatory and unsupported by evidence.
Lawyers have raised privacy concerns, claiming the documentary included wedding footage where guests were filmed without consent. Under California’s two-party consent law, recording private events without everyone’s permission is illegal.
Morgan’s attorney, Serena Wu, stated, “We must protect citizens’ privacy rights,” and demanded the removal of all wedding scenes showing guests. If these demands are not met, the legal team has threatened further action, including seeking damages and an injunction.
Morgan’s legal team warned that ignoring their demands could result in a lawsuit. They stated they are prepared to take all necessary legal steps to secure remedies for Morgan.
The letter emphasized that Morgan reserves all her legal rights, including seeking financial compensation and court-ordered removal of the disputed content.
Netflix, Library Films, and the cease-and-desist letters have not yet responded to the accusations, and it remains unclear if changes will be made to the documentary.
[cryptotimes]