The US Department of Justice has filed charges against three North Korean hackers. They are accused of a variety of cybercrimes and hacking into hundreds of companies, including cryptocurrency firms.
According to US prosecutors, Kim Il, Jon Chang Hyok and Park Jin Hyok were members of the General Intelligence Directorate, the military intelligence unit of North Korea. They were involved in stealing $ 1.3 billion from various companies around the world, including cryptocurrency firms such as NiceHash.
“The scale of the criminal activities of North Korean hackers is striking and continued for a long time. This is the actions of a criminal state that will stop at nothing to get revenge and get money to support its regime, ”said US Attorney Tracey Wilkison.
In total, North Korean hackers stole $ 111.7 million from cryptocurrency companies, including $ 75 million from a Slovenian firm in December 2017, $ 24.9 million from an Indonesian firm in September 2018, and $ 11.8 million from a New York firm in August 2020, according to the ministry. Also, the American authorities believe that the defendants were involved in the Marine Chain Token fraudulent scheme:
“Kim Il and other defendants used fake names to communicate with investors and persuade them to invest in Marine Chain. They did not disclose that they are citizens of North Korea. ”
If the defendants are found guilty, they could face up to 35 years in prison for cybercrime and banking fraud.
Earlier, Reuters, citing a “confidential UN report”, reported that North Korean hackers from late 2019 to November 2020 received $ 316.3 million as a result of hacking cryptocurrency services, and the funds were used to purchase and develop weapons.
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