A High-Stakes Legal Gamble
The resentencing unfolded after Truglia violated conditions of his supervised release and continued to evade repayment, according to the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors had initially sought around five years—already above the court’s calculated guidelines. But Judge Hellerstein, unconvinced by Truglia’s excuses and alleged efforts, went far further.
Defense attorney Mark Gombiner called the 12-year sentence an “extraordinary abuse of discretion,” arguing that it violated double jeopardy protections and weaponized the justice system as a “debtor’s prison.”
“This sentence is illegal,” Gombiner said, vowing to appeal. “You can’t ruin a person’s entire life based on that.”
“I Still Have My Money”: Haunting Words Come Back to Bite
Fueling the court’s fury was Truglia’s 2018 interview in a documentary, where he reportedly said, “I still have my money when I get out because it’s bitcoin… I don’t think I’ll do a decade.”
Prosecutors and the judge pointed to the statement as evidence of Truglia’s mindset—that he had always planned to do the time but keep the money.
“It’s not just the crime—it’s the attitude,” Judge Hellerstein said. “In my opinion, it’s just punishment.”
