Spanish police arrested an AC who helped ethereum developer Virgil Griffith violate US sanctions and travel to North Korea, Reuters reported. crypto-conspiracy-2023-12-01/”>December 1st.
Local authorities reportedly discovered that Alejandro Cao de Beños was in Barcelona under a false identity and intended to travel by train to Madrid. Police arrested Cao de Beños at a Madrid train station on November 30.
Cao de Benos was released unconditionally after appearing before a Superior Court judge on December 1. An extradition process is reportedly pending, although the United States must formalize its extradition request and provide documentation.
The accused insisted that he would not be extradited, writing in X:
“There is no extradition. The accusation from the United States, in addition to being false, does not exist in Spain… My thanks to all your messages and to the (Spanish police) for their good treatment and personal support.”
Cao de Benós pointed out that a particular order was given during the government of former US President Donald Trump. Although the US Department of Justice (DOJ) charged Cao de Beños and another person in April 2022 after the Trump presidency ended, an FBI poster suggests that Charges were already underway in January.
Defendant organized a conference and arranged a trip
Virgil Griffith traveled to North Korea to participate in a cryptocurrency and blockchain conference in April 2019. He was arrested in November of that year. In addition to violating sanctions, U.S. authorities said Griffith provided information that could help North Korea evade sanctions and engage in money laundering. Griffith was convicted in 2021 and sentenced in 2022; He is currently in prison.
The Department of Justice alleges that Cao de Benos, through his own Korean Friendship Association and in cooperation with an American businessman named Christopher Emms, helped organize the blockchain conference that Griffith attended.
Additionally, Cao de Benos and Emms allegedly recruited Griffith and arranged his trip to the country. The Justice Department also claims that Cao de Benos told Griffith that North Korea would not stamp his passport, thus concealing Griffith's trip. After the conference concluded, Cao de Benos and Emms reportedly worked with Griffith on other North Korea-related blockchain efforts.
Cao De Benos and Emms have each been charged with one count of conspiracy to violate and evade US sanctions for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Both are presumed innocent until convicted.
