DOJ Seeks Forfeiture of $7.7 Million in Cryptocurrency Tied to North Korean IT Worker Laundering Network
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DOJ Seeks Forfeiture of $7.7 Million in Cryptocurrency Tied to North Korean IT Worker Laundering Network
On June 5, 2025, the US Department of Justice filed a verified civil forfeiture complaint in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, targeting over USD 7.7 million in cryptocurrency, NFTs, and digital assets allegedly linked to a global laundering scheme directed by North Korea. According to the complaint, these assets represent the proceeds of wire fraud and money laundering offenses conducted by North Korean nationals acting under the direction of the Foreign Trade Bank and Ministry of Defense.
The action focuses on the deployment of North Korean IT workers abroad â primarily in China, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) â who used falsified identities to gain employment at US and foreign tech firms, including in the blockchain and decentralized finance (DeFi) sectors. Payments made to these individuals, often in USDC and …
On June 5, 2025, the US Department of Justice filed a verified civil forfeiture complaint in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, targeting over USD 7.7 million in cryptocurrency, NFTs, and digital assets allegedly linked to a global laundering scheme directed by North Korea. According to the complaint, these assets represent the proceeds of wire fraud and money laundering offenses conducted by North Korean nationals acting under the direction of the Foreign Trade Bank and Ministry of Defense.
The action focuses on the deployment of North Korean IT workers abroad â primarily in China, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) â who used falsified identities to gain employment at US and foreign tech firms, including in the blockchain and decentralized finance (DeFi) sectors. Payments made to these individuals, often in USDC and …