US Citizen Charged With IEEPA Violations After Presenting at North Korea Tech Conference

A U.S. citizen was charged with violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act after he delivered a presentation and gave technical advice in North Korea on cryptocurrency and blockchain technology, the Justice Department said in a Dec. 2 press release. The Singapore resident and U.S. citizen, Virgil Griffith, received “warnings” not to go to North Korea, the Justice Department said, adding that his actions constituted an evasion of U.S. sanctions.

In April, Griffith traveled to North Korea to attend and present at the country’s Pyongyang Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Conference, despite the State Department denying him permission to travel, the Justice Department said. Griffith allegedly knew his actions would violate sanctions and the IEEPA, which blocks exports of goods, services or technology to North Korea without a license from the Treasury Department. At the conference, Griffith discussed how North Korea could use blockchain and cryptocurrency technology to launder money and evade U.S. sanctions, the press release said. He also discussed the subject with several North Korean government officials, who approved his presentation, the Justice Department said.

After the conference, Griffith allegedly began “formulating plans to facilitate the exchange of cryptocurrency” between North and South Korea, knowing the plans would violate sanctions. He also “encouraged” others to travel to North Korea to attend the same conference the following year and announced his intention to renounce his U.S. citizenship, the Justice Department said. Griffith faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years for violating the IEEPA.

“As alleged, Virgil Griffith provided highly technical information to North Korea, knowing that this information could be used to help North Korea launder money and evade sanctions,” U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman for the Southern District of New York said in a statement. “In allegedly doing so, Griffith jeopardized the sanctions that both Congress and the president have enacted to place maximum pressure on North Korea’s dangerous regime.”