FBI Says North Korean Hackers May Try to Sell $40M of Bitcoin

The FBI released six wallets linked to North Korean hackers Lazarus Group and APT38.

AccessTimeIconAug 23, 2023 at 9:54 a.m. UTC
Updated Aug 23, 2023 at 7:22 p.m. UTC
10 Years of Decentralizing the Future
May 29-31, 2024 - Austin, TexasThe biggest and most established global hub for everything crypto, blockchain and Web3.Register Now

North Korean hackers may attempt to cash out stolen bitcoin (BTC) worth more than $40 million, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said in a statement on Tuesday.

The North Korea-based Lazarus Group and APT38 were reportedly behind a series of cryptocurrency hacks earlier this year, including the $60 million theft from payment processor Alphapo and the $100 million exploit of Atomic Wallet, the FBI said.

In January, the FBI named the two groups as being behind last year's Horizon Bridge hack, which resulted in the loss of over $100 million.

Six wallets containing a total of 1,580 bitcoin ($41 million) were identified as connected to the hacker groups, and the FBI warned cryptocurrency companies against interacting with those wallets.

"The FBI will continue to expose and combat the DPRK’s use of illicit activities—including cybercrime and virtual currency theft—to generate revenue for the regime," it said.

Edited by Sheldon Reback.

Disclosure

Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.

Oliver Knight

Oliver Knight is a CoinDesk reporter based between London and Lisbon. He does not own any crypto.


Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk's longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.