The United States is sanctioning virtual currency mixer Tornado Cash for its involvement in laundering a portion of the more than $600 million stolen by Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) hackers in one of the largest known virtual currency heists to date. These hackers are associated with the Lazarus Group and APT38, which were sanctioned by the United States in 2019. The United States will continue to pursue actions against mixers laundering virtual currency for criminals and those who assist them. Tornado Cash has reportedly been used to launder billions worth of virtual currency since its creation in 2019. This is the second virtual currency mixer designated by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, following the sanctions imposed on Blender.io in May 2022.
The United States will not hesitate to use its authorities against malicious cyber actors, to expose, disrupt, and promote accountability for perpetrators and enablers of criminal activities.
For more information on today’s actions, please see the Department of the Treasury’s press release.