Judge Kevin Castel has approved a reduced sentence for Virgil Griffith, a former Ethereum developer convicted of violating sanctions against North Korea.
A July 17 court document revealed that Griffith’s prison term was cut from 63 months to 56 months.
Griffith was arrested in 2019 after attending a conference in Pyongyang, North Korea, where he gave presentations on how blockchain technology could be used to bypass international sanctions and launder funds.
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The developer pleaded guilty in 2021, receiving a sentence of 63 months in prison and a $100,000 fine by April 2022.
During his 2022 sentencing hearing, Griffith expressed that he had moved past his fascination with North Korea. Judge Castel remarked at the time that Griffith seemed more interested in his central role in the events than in any particular ideology, suggesting he could easily shift allegiances to suit his interests.
Earlier this year, Griffith’s legal team filed a motion to reconsider his sentence, proposing a range of 51 to 63 months instead of the original 63 to 78 months.
Judge Castel agreed to a slight reduction, noting that Griffith no longer poses a significant risk to the public, although he has violated prison rules, such as attempting to steal soap and tea. The judge stated:
The Court also takes note of the significant hardships the defendant has experienced while incarcerated. The need to impose just punishment for this serious offense, to promote respect for law, and to deter others from committing similar crimes, however, tilts against a substantial sentence reduction.
The crypto community has recently seen other high-profile figures, such as former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao and former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, facing legal repercussions and serving prison time.
Griffith’s case is yet another reminder of the legal and ethical boundaries within the crypto industry.
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