U.S. Sanctions North Korean Bankers and Firms Tied to Crypto Laundering

The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced sanctions on eight people and two entities in North Korea connected to laundering the proceeds from cyber activity and information technology worker schemes.

The action was detailed in a Treasury release published on November 4 and targets channels that have moved stolen digital assets and contractor income through dollar rails, raising compliance risk for exchanges, brokers, custodians, and wallet providers that might touch those funds.

The release links the activity to weapons programs and cites a recent multilateral monitoring report on sanctions evasion through cyber theft and information technology contracting. The update also places new data on the record for screening, including cryptocurrency addresses tied to a previously designated bank.

Who Was Designated and How The Networks Operated

OFAC designated North Korean bankers Jang Kuk Chol and Ho Jong Son for managing funds on behalf of First Credit Bank, including $5.3 million in cryptocurrency.

Korea Mangyongdae Computer Technology Company was designated for operating information technology worker delegations in China that used proxies to move funds, and U Yong Su was designated for acting on behalf of the company.

Ryujong Credit Bank was designated for conducting financial services that supported sanctions avoidance between China and North Korea, including remittances, laundering, and transactions for overseas workers.

Additional designations covered representatives of DPRK financial institutions located in China and Russia, with the Treasury describing transfers in U.S. dollars, Chinese yuan, and euros, as well as roles tied to previously sanctioned banks and front companies.

The release cites more than $3 billion stolen over three years, primarily in cryptocurrency, connecting cyber theft and information technology income to the same financing channels.

“North Korean state-sponsored hackers steal and launder money to fund the regime’s nuclear weapons program,” said John K. Hurley, Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.

“By generating revenue for Pyongyang’s weapons development, these actors directly threaten U.S. and global security. Treasury will continue to pursue the facilitators and enablers behind these schemes to cut off the DPRK’s illicit revenue streams,” he said

What Comes After New Sanctions On North Korea

Under the measures, property and interests in property of designated parties within the United States or controlled by U.S. persons are blocked, and entities owned fifty percent or more by blocked persons are also blocked.

Transactions involving such property are generally prohibited unless authorized or exempt, which places the onus on crypto businesses to confirm counterparties and to halt flows that touch listed names or related addresses.

The Treasury warned that financial institutions and other persons engaging with designated parties may face sanctions or enforcement.

The agency also reiterated that removal from the list is possible under established procedures, which preserves a formal pathway for petitions while current restrictions remain in effect.

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