Former Ethereum developer sentenced to prison for helping North Koreans use cryptocurrencies to evade sanctions
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Former Ethereum developer Virgil Griffith was arrested in November 2019 after giving a presentation on cryptocurrencies and the Ethereum blockchain at a specialized conference in North Korea.
When he returned to the US he was charged with violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). According to U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss, Griffith "agreed to help one of the United States' most dangerous foreign adversaries, North Korea."
In accordance with the provisions of the IEEPA and Executive Order 13466, citizens of the United States are prohibited from exporting any goods, services, or technology to North Korea without permission from the US Department of the Treasury and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
The prosecution asked the court to fine Griffith $1М and give him a maximum prison term of 20 years to deter him and others from "similar behavior in the future."
After two years of pre-trial detention, Griffith pleaded guilty to violating U.S. laws. Under the terms of the plea deal, Griffith will serve 63 months in prison and pay a $100,000 fine. Former Ethereum developer has already spent approximately two years in custody, of which the court will count 10 months as time served.
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