A U.S. court sentenced former Ethereum Foundation researcher Virgil Griffith to five years in prison, and imposed a $100,000 fine for providing North Korea with information about using cryptocurrency to evade sanctions. This was reported on the U.S. Department of Justice’s website.
According to court documents, Griffith helped North Korea develop its cryptocurrency infrastructure, including for mining.
In April 2019 he travelled to North Korea to speak at a blockchain conference, despite U.S. authorities’ denial of permission to travel. There the developer explained how North Korea could use blockchain and cryptocurrencies to launder funds and evade sanctions, according to the Justice Department.
According to investigators, he also planned to help organise cryptocurrency trading between North Korea and South Korea.
Griffith was sentenced to 63 months in prison.
Earlier, the developer was arrested in November 2019, charged with violating U.S. sanctions laws and ties to North Korea. He was later charged with conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
In 2021 he was remanded in custody.
In September 2021 Griffith pleaded guilty.
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