The U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned 10 individuals and 1 entity to combat North Korean IT worker fraud and cryptocurrency money laundering networks

The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against 10 individuals and 1 entity. These targets are involved in North Korean IT workers defrauding U.S. companies, with the proceeds used for North Korea's weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs.

The sanctioned Russian national Ilya Boykov has exchanged approximately 3.5 million dollars in cryptocurrency for the North Korean company Alis since 2024. The Russian national Vitold Obertas has completed nearly 2 million dollars in cryptocurrency exchanges for North Korean officials since January 2025.

Also sanctioned is the entity FFTDC, controlled by North Korea and based in Russia, along with its 6 IT workers, who have generated over 750,000 dollars since 2025. Australia and the European Union have also taken similar sanction actions this month.