- The Interpol office in Moscow arrested British citizen Christopher Emms who is accused of helping North Koreans to evade sanctions imposed by the US through cryptocurrencies.
- According to the Interpol announcement, Emms collaborated with a US citizen to illegally provide blockchain and cryptocurrency technology services to North Korea.
The United States continues in its efforts to maintain the existing blockade against North Korea, this due to the fact that It was recently revealed that the office ofe Interpol in Moscow, carried out the arrest of a British citizen, who is accused by the United States Department of Justice (DoJ) of helping North Korea in its efforts to circumvent the sanctions imposed by the US through cryptocurrencies.
According to what was reported by local mediaChristopher Emms was arrested on February 21, after a “Red alert” from Interpol. After the warning, the 31-year-old British citizen was arrested at the hostel where he was staying.
He announcement published by the FBI notes that Christopher Douglas Emms was wanted for allegedly conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and specifically for conspiring to violate United States sanctions on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (“DPRK” or “Korea from North”). The announcement also alleges that he collaborated with a US citizen to illegally provide blockchain and cryptocurrency technology services to the Republic of North Korea.
The accusations
LThe accusations are based on the fact that, in early 2018, crypto entrepreneur Emms planned and organized the “Pyongyang Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Conference.” Likewise, to carry out the event, it invited the Spanish expert in cryptocurrencies, Alejandro Cao de Benós, to participate, organizing the trip to the country in April 2019 for the event.
The two crypto specialists were tasked with answering a series of questions about blockchain technology and crypto assets in North Korea, which included questions from North Korean government personnel. Pyongyang.
Similarly, according to the United States, they also made several proposals to develop smart contracts for the DPRK, in addition to designing a series of alleged crypto transactions, with the aim of avoiding US sanctions.
Despite the fact that Emms tried to keep a low profile from then on, the crypto expert was arrested in November 2019, leaving the scheme interrupted. About, The Joe Biden government determined that both Emms and his co-conspirator Benós were at no time able to obtain permission from the United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to provide services to the DPRK, as required by the law of the North American country.
Guilty or not?
Due to the charges against him, Emms could face up to 20 years in prison. However, not everyone considers that he is guilty, since Radha Stirling, founder of Due Process International, a non-governmental organization focused on defending the human rights of international security forces, there is not enough solid evidence against ums.
“Precisely because he did nothing wrong; he did not provide any information to North Korea that does not already appear on the first page of GoogleRadha Stirling declared.
Interpol also noted that Emms had been living in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in addition to having been in Saudi Arabia around March 2022. The defendant allegedly had various business interests in various countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Malta, Gibraltar and throughout Europe. Baza noted that he apparently decided to wait out the turbulent times in Russia, where he is now under arrest.
“Apparently, Emms decided to wait out the turbulent times in Russia“reported the Baza media outlet, which has close ties to law enforcement.
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