From Cointelegraph

June 5, 2025 9:17 PM:

The US Department of Justice moves to seize $7.74 million in crypto allegedly earned by North Korean IT workers using fake identities and working at blockchain firms. Funds were frozen in April 2023, with multiple cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, Bitcoin, NFTs, and Ethereum Name Service domains targeted in the civil forfeiture complaint.

The Justice Department aims to prevent North Korea from exploiting the cryptocurrency ecosystem to fund illicit activities. North Korean IT workers used phony identification documents and other obfuscation strategies to gain employment in multiple countries. After being paid in stablecoins like USDC and Tether, they allegedly used laundering techniques to obscure the funds’ origins.

North Korea has been increasing efforts to infiltrate the crypto industry and raise funds to send back to the country. Google’s Threat Intelligence Group reported North Korea expanding its operations to blockchain firms outside the US, with a focus on Europe. Blockchain investigator ZachXBT uncovered evidence of a sophisticated network of North Korean developers earning up to $500,000 a month.

In 2022, the DOJ, Department of State, and Treasury issued a joint advisory warning against the influx of North Korean workers into freelance tech jobs, particularly in the crypto industry. The move comes amid ongoing efforts to prevent North Korea from using cryptocurrency to fund illicit activities.

Read more at Cointelegraph: DOJ files to confiscate alleged North Korea IT worker crypto