- Former Ethereum developer Virgil Griffith has been released from federal prison having served three of his five years
- Griffith was arrested in 2019 for delivering a presentation in North Korea on blockchain technology
- Griffith pleaded guilty to violating U.S. sanctions and was sentenced to 63 months in prison
Former Ethereum researcher Virgil Griffith has been released from federal prison, having served three years of his five-year sentence. Griffith was jailed in 2022 for a presentation he gave in North Korea on blockchain technology, leading to charges of violating U.S. sanctions. After pleading guilty, Griffith was sentenced to 63 months in prison but has now been released to a halfway house.
North Korea Trip
In April 2019, Griffith traveled to Pyongyang, North Korea, to attend a blockchain and cryptocurrency conference. During the event, the former Ethereum developer delivered a presentation titled “Blockchain for Peace,” which U.S. authorities alleged provided “highly technical information” that could assist North Korea in evading economic sanctions. This led to his arrest in November 2019 upon his return to the United States.
Following his arrest, Griffith was charged with conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which prohibits U.S. citizens from exporting goods, services, or technology to sanctioned countries without authorization. In September 2021, he pleaded guilty to the charges, and seven months later was sentenced to 63 months in prison and fined $100,000.
Sentence Reduction and Release
In July 2024, U.S. District Judge Kevin Castel reduced Griffith’s sentence to 56 months, citing his lack of prior criminal history and the hardships he endured while in custody. Despite acknowledging some disciplinary infractions during his imprisonment, Judge Castel noted that the threat Griffith posed to the public had “somewhat dissipated.” As a result, Griffith was granted early release and has now been transferred to a halfway house, where he is expected to remain for several weeks as he completes the next stages of his parole process.
Griffith’s case has been a focal point within the cryptocurrency community, highlighting the complex intersection of technology, law, and international relations. While some viewed his actions as a breach of national security, others saw them as an overreach of legal boundaries into the realm of academic freedom and open-source information sharing.
