US targets North Korean money laundering network with sanctions

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on two people and one entity based in the United Arab Emirates, accusing them of being involved in a network that launders millions of dollars generated by IT workers and cybercrime to support the North Korean government.

The U.S. Treasury Department in a statement said the two people hit with sanctions on Tuesday worked through a UAE-based front company to facilitate money laundering and cryptocurrency conversion services that funneled the illicit proceeds back to Pyongyang.

Tuesday's action comes as Washington seeks to cut off funding for North Korea's weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile programs, the Treasury said.

“As the DPRK continues to use complex criminal schemes to fund its WMD and ballistic missile programs — including through the exploitation of digital assets — Treasury remains focused on disrupting the networks that facilitate this flow of funds to the regime,” Treasury's Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Bradley Smith, said in the statement.

Tuesday's move targeted UAE-based Chinese nationals Lu Huaying and Zhang Jian as well as UAE-based Green Alpine Trading, LLC. It freezes any of their U.S. assets and generally bars Americans from dealing with them. Those that engage in certain transactions with them also risk being hit with sanctions.



(Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)