Nov. 5 (UPI) -- The U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions against eight individuals and two entities accused of laundering proceeds from North Korean cybercrime and information technology worker fraud schemes that help fund Pyongyang's weapons programs.
The department's Office of Foreign Assets Control said Tuesday that North Korea has stolen more than $3 billion over the past three years, using sophisticated techniques such as advanced malware and social engineering to breach financial systems and cryptocurrency platforms.
"North Korean state-sponsored hackers steal and launder money to fund the regime's nuclear weapons program," Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley said in a statement. "By generating revenue for Pyongyang's weapons development, these actors directly threaten U.S. and global security."
Hurley added that the Treasury is "identifying and disrupting the facilitators and enablers behind these schemes to cut off the DPRK's illicit revenue streams."
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