DOJ Seizes $15M USDT in North Korea APT38 Crypto Scam

The U.S. Department of Justice has dismantled a North Korea crypto scam by seizing $15.1 million in USDT traced to the state-backed APT38 hacking group. The funds link to high-profile crypto hacks in 2023, including the $100 million Poloniex breach, the $37 million CoinsPaid attack, the $60–100 million Alphapo theft and a $138 million Panama exchange heist. Total losses from these crypto hacks exceed $380 million. In parallel, five operatives—three in Georgia, one in Washington, D.C., and one in Florida—pleaded guilty to identity theft after selling stolen or falsified U.S. identities. This scheme embedded North Korean IT workers at 136 American firms, generating $1.28 million in illicit salary payments. The DOJ continues to trace laundered funds through cross-chain bridges, mixers, exchanges and OTC desks, while one defendant has already forfeited over $1.4 million in assets. By 2025, North Korea is estimated to have stolen over $2 billion in cryptocurrency, exploiting sanctions and covert infiltration to fund its defense programs. This DOJ action underscores rising cybersecurity vigilance, foreshadowing tighter compliance measures around stablecoins and identity verification in the crypto market.