The defendants in the case were Kim Kwang Jin, Kan Tae Bok, Jong Pong Ju and Chang Il (Chang Nam Il). In addition to the theft of other people’s crypto acts, they are charged with fraud using electronic communications and laundering of money.
According to the prosecution, from 2020 to 2022, DPRK citizens worked under false names remote developers in an unnamed American blockchain from Atlanta and another Serbian crypto company. In order to hide North Korean citizenship, applicants provided employers with fake personality certificates, including stolen documents belonging to other people. Having received positions in these companies, employees gained access to confidential information.
The US Ministry of Justice says Kim Kwan Jin and Jung Pong Ju gained access to the digital assets of employers. In February 2022, Jung Pong Ju abused his powers and stole $ 175,000 from the employer, and in March of the same year, Kim Kwan Jin changed the source code of two smart contracts to steal the Crypto-Activa by $ 740,000, the American department believes.
To cover the traces of transactions and wash the stolen assets, cryptomxers were used, and then transfers to exchange accounts. These accounts were controlled by Kan Tae and Chan Ilem, the US Ministry of Justice claims. According to his version, the accounts were opened using fake identification documents belonging to the inhabitants of Malaysia.
“Similar schemes are aimed at American companies to circumvent sanctions and financing illegal programs of the North Korean regime, including weapons,” said John A. Eisenberg, assistant general prosecutor from the national security department of the US Ministry of Justice.
Recently, cybersecurity experts from SlowMist warned that North Korean hackers could attack not only employers, but also applicants trying to find work in crypto companies. Hackers distribute malicious software called Ottercookie, which extracts the confidential data of users.
Source: Bits
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