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Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Southern District of New York

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, April 12, 2022


UNITED STATES CITIZEN WHO CONSPIRED TO ASSIST NORTH KOREA IN EVADING SANCTIONS
IS SENTENCED TO MORE THAN 5 YEARS AND FINED $100,000

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New
York, announced today that VIRGIL GRIFFITH, a U.S. citizen who conspired to
provide services to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (“DPRK” or “North
Korea”), including technical advice on using cryptocurrency and blockchain
technology to evade sanctions, was sentenced to 63 months after pleading guilty
to conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act
(“IEEPA”). U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel imposed today’s sentence.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams stated: “There is no question North Korea poses a
national security threat to our nation, and the regime has shown time and again
it will stop at nothing to ignore our laws for its own benefit. Mr. Griffith
admitted in court he took actions to evade sanctions, which are in place to
prevent the DPRK from building a nuclear weapon. Justice has been served with
the sentence handed down today.”

According to the Complaint, Indictment, other documents in the public record, as
well as statements made in public court proceedings:

Pursuant to the IEEPA and Executive Order 13466, United States persons are
prohibited from exporting any goods, services, or technology to the DPRK without
a license from the Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control
(“OFAC”).

GRIFFITH, a cryptocurrency expert, began formulating plans as early as 2018 to
provide services to individuals in the DPRK by developing and funding
cryptocurrency infrastructure there, including to mine cryptocurrency. GRIFFITH
knew that the DPRK could use these services to evade and avoid U.S. sanctions,
and to fund its nuclear weapons program and other illicit activities.

In April 2019, GRIFFITH traveled to the DPRK to attend and present at the
“Pyongyang Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Conference” (the “DPRK Cryptocurrency
Conference”). Despite the fact that the U.S. Department of State had denied
GRIFFITH permission to travel to the DPRK, GRIFFITH delivered presentations at
the DPRK Cryptocurrency Conference, tailored to the DPRK audience, knowing that
doing so violated sanctions against the DPRK.

At the DPRK Cryptocurrency Conference, GRIFFITH and his co-conspirators provided
instruction on how the DPRK could use blockchain and cryptocurrency technology
to launder money and evade sanctions. GRIFFITH’s presentations at the DPRK
Cryptocurrency Conference had been approved by DPRK officials and focused on,
among other things, how blockchain technology such as “smart contracts” could be
used to benefit the DPRK, including in nuclear weapons negotiations with the
United States. 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.

After the DPRK Cryptocurrency Conference, GRIFFITH pursued plans to facilitate
the exchange of cryptocurrency between the DPRK and South Korea, despite knowing
that assisting with such an exchange would violate sanctions against the DPRK.
GRIFFITH also attempted to recruit other U.S. 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. At no time did GRIFFITH obtain permission from OFAC to provide goods,
services, or technology to the DPRK.

*                      *                     *

In addition to the prison sentence, GRIFFITH, 39, was sentenced to three years
supervised release.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation and its New York Field Office, Counterintelligence Division, and
thanked the Department of Justice’s National Security Division,
Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, the Department of Justice’s
Office of International Affairs, and the Singapore Police Force for their
assistance.

The case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International
Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Ravener and Kyle A. Wirshba
are in charge of the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Matthew J.
McKenzie of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

Component(s): 
USAO - New York, Southern
Contact: 
Nicholas Biase Victoria Bosah (212) 637-2600
Press Release Number: 
22-116
Updated April 12, 2022

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