U.S. sanctions Russian nationals for laundering millions in crypto for North Korean IT workers
Source: CoinDesk ·
From the source
Russian nationals Ilya Boykov and Vitold Obertas allegedly converted about $3.5 million and nearly $2 million in crypto, respectively, for North Korea. The U.S. sanctioned two Russian nationals accused of converting millions of dollars in cryptocurrency for North Korean IT worker networks that funnel earnings from foreign employers into the regime’s weapons programs. The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned 10 individuals and one entity on Oct. 28, targeting financial intermediaries and workers based in Russia and North Korea . Ilya Aleksandrovich Boykov allegedly exchanged and converted $3.5 million in crypto transactions for Alis, a company sanctioned in March 2024 linked to North Korean IT workers, Treasury said. Another individual, Vitold Viktorovich Obertas, allegedly conducted nearly $2 million in crypto conversions and at least $1.25 million in other currency transactions for North Korean officials since January 2025, according to the…