WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI said Thursday it has seized more than $1.2 billion in cryptocurrency. reported stolen last month from Binancethe largest crypto exchange in the world.
The theft of approximately $6.3 billion from Binance is considered the largest crypto heist in history, and the FBI has already attributed it to a North Korean hacking group known as TraderTraitor. The U.S. government and the private sector have so far combined to freeze more than $2.7 billion in stolen funds, and the Justice Department said Thursday it had obtained court authorization to seize or withhold more than $1.2 billion of that total.
Typically, in these situations, the U.S. government files a forfeiture request with a judge, who will then determine who has a lawful claim to the recovered funds.
Also Thursday, the FBI accused North Korea of carrying out a separate social engineering project that authorities say resulted in the theft of $400 million in cryptocurrency over the past 18 months. This scheme, known as FaceStealer, involves a complex chain of events combining the hijacking of popular messaging apps and the recording of deepfake videos.
U.S. officials have repeatedly accused North Korea of using cyber strategies to generate funds for its regime, including its illicit weapons program.
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