A federal judge has reduced the prison sentence for former Ethereum developer Virgil Griffith, who had pled guilty to violating U.S. sanctions on North Korea. On July 16, Judge Kevin Castel of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York approved an order reducing Griffith’s sentence from 63 months to 56 months. This change means Griffith could be eligible for release as early as January 2025.
Griffith was initially sentenced after he attended a cryptocurrency and blockchain conference in Pyongyang, North Korea, in 2019. There, he gave presentations on how North Korea could use crypto to circumvent sanctions and engage in money laundering. He pled guilty in 2021 before his trial began and received a sentence of 63 months in April 2022, along with a $100,000 fine.
In April 2024, Griffith’s legal team requested the court to reduce his sentence range from the recommended 63 to 78 months to 51 to 63 months. The prosecution argued against this, highlighting Griffith’s decision to flout U.S. sanctions and pointing to disciplinary actions against him while in prison.
Judge Castel noted in his July 16 order that the public threat from Griffith had diminished, though he acknowledged Griffith’s rule violations while in custody. He also recognized the hardships Griffith faced in prison. However, the judge emphasized the importance of just punishment, respect for the law, and deterring similar offenses, which influenced his decision to limit the sentence reduction.
During his 2022 sentencing, Griffith expressed that he had moved past his fascination with North Korea, citing the example set by sanctions on Russia following its attack on Ukraine. Judge Castel, at the time, remarked that Griffith had no fixed ideology and would likely exploit any situation to stay central.
Griffith’s case is part of a broader trend of high-profile figures in the crypto industry facing legal consequences. Former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao and former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried are among those currently serving prison sentences following guilty pleas or convictions. Starting in October, a New York judge will conduct sentencing hearings for two FTX executives who have reached plea agreements with prosecutors.
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