OFAC sanctions OTC traders who converted crypto for North Korea’s Lazarus group
The United States Treasury Department has identified over-the-counter (OTC) cryptocurrency traders who assisted North Korea’s Lazarus Group in converting stolen crypto into fiat currency. Crypto traders in China and Hong Kong have been sanctioned by the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). In addition, a China-based banker was sanctioned for coordinating some of the illicit cashflow.
Wu Huihui was sanctioned by OFAC for “providing material support to the Lazarus Group,” the North Korean hacker group known for some of the biggest exploits in crypto. According to a statement released by the Treasury Department on April 24, Wu, based in China, converted millions of dollars’ worth of crypto into fiat currency for North Korean “cyber actors” in multiple transactions in 2021.
The Chinese government severely restricts operations with cryptocurrency, but OTC transactions are still possible. The Treasury said in its statement:
Cheng Hung Man, a Hong Kong-based British national, was sanctioned for providing material support to Wu. He allegedly helped Wu access the U.S. financial system using front companies to avoid detection.
Related: North Korea stole more crypto in 2022 than any other year: UN report
Sim Hyon Sop, a North Korean living in China, is a deputy representative of the Korea Kwangson Banking Corp. He was sanctioned for allegedly coordinating financial transfers from traders, including Wu and Cheng, that eventually ended up supporting North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury's #OFAC has just issued more sanctions targeting North Korea's #crypto-enabled sanctions evasion activity. Today OFAC sanctioned Wu HuiHui and Cheng Hung Man, China
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