Ethereum

United

Kevin

April

The United States Justice Department has strongly opposed Virgil Griffith’s plea to reduce his sentence for violating sanctions on North Korea.&nbsp; 
In a filing on June 17th at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams argued against Griffith’s request to shorten his prison term from 63 months to potentially as low as 51 months.&nbsp; 
Griffith, a former Ethereum developer, was <a href="https://www.cryptotimes.io/2022/04/13/ethereum-programmer-virgil-griffith-sentenced-to-5-years-prison/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sentenced in April</a> 2022 along with a $100,000 fine, with his projected release set for January 2026 considering time served. 
Williams emphasized Griffith’s deliberate actions, accusing him of intentionally evading U.S. sanctions to provide blockchain and cryptocurrency expertise to North Korea. Despite knowing the regime’s aggressive stance and human rights abuses, Griffith’s defense claimed he suffered from obsessive-compulsive and narcissistic personality disorders, contributing to his fascination with North Korea. 
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 <img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXetxny83HkOJVob3KYVVZWOD_tS2iOayE7MUb7xyttzZ_pGPYWLpVoWDCmAQOEyfnSmHZIqO4vlDPm5ZpStjqGwXY-6qzRvOH_ylEKbT3Xe3YWe4yCnVdoF_6fQ5ymO56z-DEZATBVccseq8VqcmIHMbZ7J?key=-adPkVdrA_Uc5ZajuOPZMw" alt="AD 4nXetxny83HkOJVob3KYVVZWOD tS2iOayE7MUb7xyttzZ pGPYWLpVoWDCmAQOEyfnSmHZIqO4vlDPm5ZpStjqGwXY 6qzRvOH ylEKbT3Xe3YWe4yCnVdoF 6fQ5ymO56z DEZATBVccseq8VqcmIHMbZ7J?key= adPkVdrA Uc5ZajuOPZMw">
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 Image Source: PACER (June 17 filing contests Virgil Griffith’s sentence reduction motion)
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The case stemmed from Griffith’s participation in a 2019 blockchain conference in Pyongyang, where he reportedly lectured on how North Korea could use crypto to bypass sanctions. Prosecutors also pointed out disciplinary issues Griffith faced in prison, including minor infractions like attempting to steal soap and tea. 
Griffith’s legal team sought a reduced sentence based on updated sentencing guidelines. They argued that under the revised rules, his prison term could be shortened by up to a year, potentially allowing for release in January 2025. During his sentencing, Griffith expressed remorse and claimed to have overcome his fixation on North Korea, citing the example of sanctions imposed on Russia. 
Judge Kevin Castel, however, noted Griffith’s opportunistic behavior and lack of consistent ideology. Despite ongoing legal proceedings, the U.S. Department of Commerce has already imposed a 10-year export ban on Griffith, prohibiting him from engaging in transactions involving certain commodities, software, or technology until 2032. 
Griffith’s legal team has been given 14 days to respond to the government’s arguments. The outcome will determine whether Griffith’s sentence is modified, but his future activities are already significantly restricted under existing sanctions. 
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"> 
 Also Read: <a href="https://www.cryptotimes.io/2024/06/19/hashdex-seeks-approval-for-combined-bitcoin-and-ethereum-etf/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hashdex Seeks Approval for Combined Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF</a> 
</blockquote>

Prosecutors Resist Ethereum Dev’s Bid to Cut 5-year Sentence

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