US charges three North Koreans over $1.3bn theft
18-02-2021, 08:26

Font size: [ A+ ] / [ A- ]

Three North Koreans have been charged in the US over a scheme to steal and extort more than $1.3bn (£940m) from banks and businesses around the world.

The three, who are not in custody, are also accused of deploying malicious cryptocurrency programs.

A Canadian-American citizen was also charged with money laundering.

The men are also accused of being part of the Wannacry cyber-attack of 2017, which crippled UK health service computer systems on a national scale.

Announcing the charges, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, John Demers, said North Korea "has become a criminal syndicate with a flag".

One of the defendants, Park Jin Hyok, was previously charged two years ago for his role in the 2014 hacking of Sony Entertainment Pictures.

Mr Park, Jon Chang Hyok and Kim Il are accused of criminal conspiracy, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud.

The Department of Justice says the defendants work for the Reconnaissance General Bureau, North Korea's military intelligence agency.

"North Korea's operatives, using keyboards rather than guns, stealing digital wallets of cryptocurrency instead of sacks of cash, are the world's leading bank robbers," Mr Demers said.

All three men are believed to be in North Korea, which does not extradite its citizens to face US charges.

The Canadian-American man, 37-year-old Ghaleb Alaumary, from Mississauga, Ontario, is accused of being the group's money launderer in a separate case announced on Wednesday. Officials say he has agreed to plead guilty to the charge.

 

 

Satirical source

Sony Entertainment Picture's 2014 film, The Interview, is widely believed to have been the initial motive for the attack on the film company.

The satirical film, starring Seth Rogen and James Franco, ridicules North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and centres around a fictitious assassination plot against him.

 

The men are also believed to have had a hand in the WannaCry 2.0 ransomware attack in 2017.

The attack temporarily crippled UK National Health Service (NHS) computer systems and affected more than 150 countries around the world.

About 40 NHS organisations and some medical practices were hit, with operations and appointments cancelled.

The three men hit by the indictment also conducted campaigns targeting US defence and energy contractors. As part of this, Department of State and Pentagon officials were tricked into sharing their credentials so hackers could access their computers.

"The scope of the criminal conduct by the North Korean hackers was extensive and long-running and the range of crimes they have committed is staggering," Acting US Attorney Tracy Wilkison said.

 

BBC

 

Comments: 41
#41   Kimberley
      
References:


Neosurf casino fees australia neosurf casino vip program australia
4 October 2026 13:37
#40   Isis
      
References:


Online slots australia neosurf wou.malaysia2host.com
4 October 2026 05:31
#39   Leoma
      
References:


Daily free spins payid pokies online pokies payid
30 September 2026 09:18
#38   Hollis
      
References:


Payid pokies real money no deposit $10 payid pokies
29 September 2026 10:55
#37   Louise
      
References:


Trusted payid pokies australia minimum
deposit payid pokies
29 September 2026 10:28
#36   Natisha
      
References:


No deposit payid pokies australia payid
pokies welcome bonus
29 September 2026 07:20
#35   Elba
      
References:


Desktop payid pokies careers.cblsolutions.com
27 September 2026 11:44
#34   Antoinette
      
References:


Top Sofortüberweisung Casinos Sofort Casino Vergleich
24 September 2026 14:34
#33   Clarita
      
References:


Casino sofortüberweisung klarna pay n play casino
sofort
24 September 2026 11:02
#32   Steffen
      
References:


Sofort Casino mit Lizenz Sofort Casino
Zahlungsmethoden
23 September 2026 16:57
#31   Collin
      
References:


VIP payid pokies australia payid pokies sign up bonus
23 September 2026 10:35
#30   Robbin
      
23 September 2026 09:28
#29   Shay
      
References:


Online casino sofortüberweisung test http://ua-ds.com.ua
23 September 2026 04:43
#28   Antje
      
References:


Neue casinos mit sofortüberweisung 24propertyinspain.com
23 September 2026 02:49
#27   Raymond
      
References:


Easy bank transfer casinos AU http://daojianchina.com/
21 September 2026 14:16
#26   Kattie
      
References:


Real money MiFinity casinos Australia MiFinity casino verification Australia
21 September 2026 12:04
#25   Pearl
      
References:


High limit wire transfer casinos australia direct bank transfer deposit casino australia
21 September 2026 03:23
#24   Manuel
      
References:


Neosurf bitcoin casino australia pbase.com
20 September 2026 06:12
#23   Myrtis
      
References:


Aussie pokies Osko https://myspace.com
20 September 2026 05:46
#22   Victoria
      
References:


Real money pokies bank transfer australia www.bzsbs.cn
20 September 2026 01:42
Add Comments

Name:*
E-Mail:
  Geo Keyboard  
 

Dear reader, guardian.ge welcomes your comments. Please express your views on topic and be respectful of others.

bold italic underline strike | align left centered align right | Ensert smilies insert linkInsert protected URL Choice the color | hidden text insert quote Convert selected text from transliteration to Cyrillic alphabet Insert spoiler

Code: *


Back1 2 3 Next