Ethereum Dev Imprisoned For Helping North Korea Evade Sanctions (bleepingcomputer.com) 36
Virgil Griffith, a US cryptocurrency expert, was sentenced on Tuesday to 63 months in prison after pleading guilty to assisting the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) with technical info on how to evade sanctions. BleepingComputer reports: The sanctions imposed by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and Executive Order 13466 forbid the export of any goods, services, or technology to the DPRK without a Department of the Treasury license issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Griffith, who worked as a special projects developer and research scientist for the Ethereum Foundation, was arrested in November 2019 by the FBI following a presentation in North Korea on how the country could use cryptocurrency and blockchain tech (i.e., smart contracts) to launder money and evade sanctions.
Despite being denied permission by the US Department of State, Griffith went to the North Korean conference knowing that doing so without a license from the OFAC would violate US sanctions against the DPRK. According to court documents, the cryptocurrency expert asked to receive his travel visa on a separate paper and not on his US passport, likely to avoid creating physical evidence of his travel to North Korea.
At the DPRK Cryptocurrency Conference, "Griffith and his co-conspirators also answered specific questions about blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies for the DPRK audience, including individuals whom Griffith understood worked for the North Korean government." DOJ said today. He also tried recruiting "other US citizens to travel to North Korea and provide similar services to DPRK persons and attempted to broker introductions for the DPRK to other cryptocurrency and blockchain service providers." During the DPRK Cryptocurrency Conference, he also talked about how North Korea could use cryptocurrency to gain financial independence from the global banking system.
Despite being denied permission by the US Department of State, Griffith went to the North Korean conference knowing that doing so without a license from the OFAC would violate US sanctions against the DPRK. According to court documents, the cryptocurrency expert asked to receive his travel visa on a separate paper and not on his US passport, likely to avoid creating physical evidence of his travel to North Korea.
At the DPRK Cryptocurrency Conference, "Griffith and his co-conspirators also answered specific questions about blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies for the DPRK audience, including individuals whom Griffith understood worked for the North Korean government." DOJ said today. He also tried recruiting "other US citizens to travel to North Korea and provide similar services to DPRK persons and attempted to broker introductions for the DPRK to other cryptocurrency and blockchain service providers." During the DPRK Cryptocurrency Conference, he also talked about how North Korea could use cryptocurrency to gain financial independence from the global banking system.
Dedication to the grift (Score:4, Funny)
Here I thought pushing NFTs to pump Ethereum was as deep as the rabbit hole went. Seems like some of these Ethereum folks would take a trip to hell and make a deal with the devil himself if they thought it'd raise the value of their holdings.
It makes what Musk is doing with Twitter seem downright tame by comparison. At least he hasn't involved North Korea in whatever sort of pump-and-dump scheme he's got planned. Although, the night is young..
Re: (Score:2)
I wouldn't be surprised if Musk gets the John McAfee treatment in a few years from now...
People will treat him like he killed someone?
Re: (Score:1)
He saved NASA from paying Russians, and has given USAF faster cheaper launchers for its programmes. While Boeing just overcharges for everything.
Re: (Score:2)
He saved NASA from paying Russians, and has given USAF faster cheaper launchers for its programmes.
Yeah, the dastard!
Re: (Score:2)
I wouldn't be surprised if Musk gets the John McAfee treatment in a few years from now...
People will treat him like he killed someone?
We still don't know for sure that Starman suit is empty.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
At least he hasn't involved North Korea in whatever sort of pump-and-dump scheme he's got planned.
That we know of.
Re: Dedication to the grift (Score:2)
Good luck Virg (Score:2)
Good luck Virg. Still have my Yak shirt from Hope06.
Re: (Score:2)
Who is going to jail for nothing here? You comment makes no sense.
Re: (Score:1, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
If they could just watch a Youtube video to learn what this guy taught them don't you think they would have?
Re: (Score:1)
Keep in mind this happened in 2019, possibly 2018, so ETH wasn't as popular as things are today. Granted, the underlying hasn't exactly changed. The fundamentals still hasn't changed. The underlying tech of blockchain is still same. The chain is open to anyone, and accessible by anyone. Technically for all we know, NK could control a bunch of random cold wallets and any number of willing creditors can issue loans or provide funds to any party as long as they know there are funds flowing into some address on
Re: (Score:1)
He was probably afraid of being tracked or recorded by the US and other governments since they can get into a lot of messaging platforms. So, he preferred to go in person where no one would hear him speak. Obviously, someone who was there squealed on him and got him arrested.
Re: (Score:1)
Jesus could have done a lot of things that he Chose not to.
Reasons why... oh feh, just look at Mo-come-lately. That guy's followers habitually bash each others' heads in. And other people's, too.
Jesus' followers aren't all meek sheep either. But at least they have his example of not going for the stones, or the guns, first, middle, and last. That they do so anyway is on them. That Mo's followers do so, well, they are like children with plenty of bad examples preceding them. Still on them, though.
Never send ETH to do an XMR job (Score:1)
Libertarian Nutter... (Score:5, Funny)
...discovers that saying "Your silly laws don't apply to sovereign me" is not a magic spell that actually works.
Re: (Score:2, Troll)
So, not a Libertarian. Just a traitor.
"Easier to ask for forgiveness than permission" (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
That's my guess. And given that we are still at war with the DPRK, entirely accurate.
Jailed for answering questions on ETH blockchain ? (Score:2)
Re: Jailed for answering questions on ETH blockcha (Score:1)
Some context... from the other side (Score:2)
\o/ (Score:1)
The land of the free and the home of the brave!