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Ethereum Developer Accused of Helping North Korea Pleads Guilty

Mon, 09/27/2021 - 14:49
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Alex Dovbnya
Virgil Griffith has reached a guilty plea deal with federal prosecutors
Ethereum Developer Accused of Helping North Korea Pleads Guilty
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In a shocking development, Virgil Griffith, an Ethereum developer accused of helping the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, pleaded guilty during his trial at the Southern District of New York on Sept. 27.

Griffith's only charge was one of conspiracy to violate sanction laws.

He is now facing up to 6.5 years behind bars.

His sentencing is expected to take place on Jan. 13.

Griffith was arrested back in November 2019 by American law enforcement after giving a speech at a North Korean cryptocurrency conference.

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The Ethereum researcher was accused of teaching the regime about how to circumvent U.S. sanctions with the help of blockchain technology.

In its complaint, the U.S. Justice Department claimed that Griffith was aware of the fact that his speech would break the law.

Griffith was initially looking at a maximum prison term of 20 years.

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About the author

Alex Dovbnya (aka AlexMorris) is a cryptocurrency expert, trader and journalist with extensive experience of covering everything related to the burgeoning industry — from price analysis to Blockchain disruption. Alex authored more than 1,000 stories for U.Today, CryptoComes and other fintech media outlets. He’s particularly interested in regulatory trends around the globe that are shaping the future of digital assets, can be contacted at alex.dovbnya@u.today.