A Crypto Plot Foiled: Secrets, Bitcoin, and a Hidden Camera

A South Korean crypto exchange worker ended up in jail for four years. Why? They tried to sell military secrets to North Korea. The court also banned them from working in finance for the same amount of time. The worker got paid $487, 000 in Bitcoin to recruit a 30-year-old army captain. The captain was supposed to get $33, 500 in Bitcoin for sharing sensitive military data. The worker used Telegram to make the deal. The worker sent a watch with a hidden camera and a USB hacking device to the captain. These were meant to steal info from a system used by the U. S. and South Korea. Luckily, military police caught the devices before any damage was done. The judge said the worker knew they were helping a country that’s not friendly to South Korea. They did it for money, putting the whole country at risk.The captain, last name Kim, got 10 years in prison and a $35, 000 fine. He broke the law by trying to share military secrets. North Korea has been stealing crypto for years. They use hacking, ransomware, and tricks to steal from banks and exchanges. The U. S. Treasury says they’ve stolen over $3 billion. This money helps fund North Korea’s weapons programs. The U. S. Treasury recently punished eight people and two groups linked to North Korea’s cybercrime. They targeted bankers, a tech company, and a bank for laundering money. The FBI also warned that North Korean hackers are now targeting U. S. crypto ETFs. They use clever tricks to break into companies.