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US sentences crypto expert to 5 years after North Korea blockchain presentation

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Re: US sentences crypto expert to 5 years after North Korea blockchain presentation

#111

Post by jvanderbot »

nickysielicki wrote: post #85

The founders of this country are rolling in their graves. Every part of this story. All he did was go to another country and spread truthful information. > "The most important feature of blockchains is that they are open. And the DPRK can't be kept out no matter what the USA or the UN says," This is conspiracy ? Is telling someone that a gun can kill now considered conspiracy to murder, too? Is it really the stance o…

I think you're over-reacting. Stories like this tend to be rorschach tests, and it's easy to see what you believe in these vague details.

In fact, it appears he was helping NK avoid sanctions by using crypto, in an effort to increase crypto acceptance in NK.

The details are (apparently) in the original complaint. Bad journalism/summaries strike again?

> It looks like it wasn't just speaking at a conference after being denied permission from the US that got him in trouble, it looks like both before and after the trip he was working on a variety of ways to get the North Korean government more onboard with cryptocurrency, including discussions about mining ventures, moving funds in and out of the country, and offering connections with other cryptocurrency people.

Re: US sentences crypto expert to 5 years after North Korea blockchain presentation

#112

Post by jvanderbot »

JohnWhigham wrote: post #106
jp57 wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some of the founders of this country were responsible for the Alien and Sedition Acts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_and_Sedition_Acts

Seriously, the weird veneration we have for the founders is very bizarre mainly because once they got in power, they largely acted like any other ruler.

I don't think their intent was ever to act unlike a government. But then again who can really divine intent? All we can do is live by laws.

But even a self-limiting government has to play politics internationally, and that requires a specific set of tools. I don't see anything here that trips alarms to me.

Re: US sentences crypto expert to 5 years after North Korea blockchain presentation

#113

Post by sofixa »

A4ET8a8uTh0 wrote: post #98
sofixa wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Wars are funded via inflation That's got to be one of the weirdest things I've ever heard. Inflation is a side effect of war, either due money printing to fund ( rare in non-failing countries, bond issues and loans are much more popular) or, more often, due to supply scarcity ( due to more limited trade, redirection of resources to the military, conscription of men for the army). Bitcoin does nothing for either sce…

That is actually.. a very intriguing ( yet horrifying ) question. Were there any studies of inflationary pressures pre, during, and after a war? My gut tells me it depends on the scale of destruction ( WW2 comes to mind ), but I don't remember reading anything on that subject.

Hm. I'm not aware of anything specifically about inflation, but IMHO it would be very hard to compare due to the plethora of variables - e.g. rationing, destruction, death, all of which would be deflationary.

Re: US sentences crypto expert to 5 years after North Korea blockchain presentation

#114

Post by s1artibartfast »

light_hue_1 wrote: post #57
etherael wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Giving North Korean citizens access to an economy outside their locked down one where they can engage in trade may well be the exact opposite of collaborating with the North Korean regime. This could easily be the most practical and realistic way to destroy North Korean control over its economy. If those citizens are no longer beholden to the regime for their economic livelihood and that encourages internal organisat…

This is the Merkel-Steinmeier system that was applied to Russia. Bring Russia into the fold economically. Ignore its bad actions. Give it access to money, technology, etc. So that it will become economically dependent with us and then it won't want to attack anyone. Surely as Russians become more economically able they will fight against Putin's brutal reign. Well, exactly the opposite happened. Look at Ukraine today…

You can't look at the failure of the Merkel-Steinmeier in isolation and say "we tried that".

At the same time the US encircled Russia with bases, weapons and nukes. At the same time the US bombed Russian allied states.

Re: US sentences crypto expert to 5 years after North Korea blockchain presentation

#116

Post by SamReidHughes »

CamperBob2 wrote: post #76
garbagetime wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why do you think it is that the DPRK places such a priority on emphasizing its nuclear capabilities?

Because the civilized world would bring down the Kim regime, as we certainly should, if we could. Because they have nukes, we can't. This is getting to be a real problem as 21st-century history continues to unfold.

The "civilized" world had plenty of time to do that before NK got nukes, and it didn't. War in Korea would be far worse than peace.

Re: US sentences crypto expert to 5 years after North Korea blockchain presentation

#117

Post by tommek4077 »

wnevets wrote: post #101
danielvf wrote: post #71

According to the original complaint, a few months after being interviewed by an FBI agent on returning from his trip to North Korea, Griffith had the following conversation over text messages: Griffith: I need to send 1 [REDACTED UNIT OF CRYPTOCURRENCY] between North and South Korea. Other Guy: "Isn't that in violations of sanctions?" Griffith: It is. A few day later, also in text messages to someone else: Someone: W…

So the title is incredibly misleading?

I've read it as a time reference. He got trialed after the conference.

Re: US sentences crypto expert to 5 years after North Korea blockchain presentation

#118

Post by behringer »

tomphoolery wrote: post #103

He should be in jail for longer. What a traitor.

Imagine knowing literally anything about north Korea and wanting to help that government. He should be put away for life for aiding crimes against humanity.

Re: US sentences crypto expert to 5 years after North Korea blockchain presentation

#119

Post by micromacrofoot »

chatmasta wrote: post #48

I met Virgil at an academic workshop back in 2014. We went out in Amsterdam. He was a weird guy, to say the least (he’d probably be the first to agree). He was generally quite affable and obviously highly intelligent. He’s an idiot for this fiasco. But it’s also sad to see him in jail; I don’t see how this benefits society in any way. Five years in prison seems like a disproportionate punishment for an arguably victi…

It benefits society because Virgil will now likely think a lot harder before attempting to do something so foolish. He thought he was flying under the radar and possibly teaching North Korea how to avoid sanctions.

Re: US sentences crypto expert to 5 years after North Korea blockchain presentation

#120

Post by Daishiman »

ethbr0 wrote: post #73
chatmasta wrote: post #48

I met Virgil at an academic workshop back in 2014. We went out in Amsterdam. He was a weird guy, to say the least (he’d probably be the first to agree). He was generally quite affable and obviously highly intelligent. He’s an idiot for this fiasco. But it’s also sad to see him in jail; I don’t see how this benefits society in any way. Five years in prison seems like a disproportionate punishment for an arguably victi…

Agreed. This feels like early-90s computer crime sentencing. Making it easy for someone to bludgeon you over the head with a legal charge is your own fault. But the net impact of the charge can also be useless.

If you were to advice a sanctioned country on how to launder money or evade currency controls you would also be penalized in the same manner.
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