U.S. charges Europeans over alleged North Korea crypto conspiracy
(Reuters) — The U.S. Department of Justice on Monday announced the indictment of two Europeans for allegedly conspiring with a recently sentenced American cryptocurrency researcher to help North Korea evade U.S. sanctions.
Alejandro Cao de Benos of Spain, who founded a pro-Pyongyang affinity organization, and Christopher Emms of Britain, a cryptocurrency businessman, were accused of recruiting the researcher Virgil Griffith to illegally provide cryptocurrency and blockchain technology services to North Korea.
Both defendants are at large. Lawyers for both could not immediately be identified.
Prosecutors said Mr. Cao de Benos and Mr. Emms arranged for Mr. Griffith, who holds a doctorate from the California Institute of Technology, to travel to North Korea via China in April 2019 to attend their Pyongyang Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Conference.
At the conference, Mr. Emms and Mr. Griffith allegedly taught members of North Korea's government and other attendees about using cutting-edge blockchain and cryptocurrency technology to evade sanctions and launder money.
Such instruction was “all for the purpose of evading U.S. sanctions meant to stop North Korea's hostile nuclear ambitions” and protect American security interests, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams in Manhattan said in a statement.
The indictment quoted from emails in which Mr. Cao de Benos allegedly admonished Mr. Griffith in June 2019 after learning that Mr. Griffith had discussed his travel with the U.S. embassy.
“They could fine or even jail you! That's why we never said to anyone or made public the [attendees],” Mr. Cao de Benos wrote.
Mr. Cao de Benos and Mr. Emms each face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
Mr. Griffith was sentenced on April 12 to 5-1/4 years in prison after pleading guilty to a conspiracy charge.
