Spanish Police Arrest Man Involved in Ethereum Developer’s North Korea Trip

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Spanish police have arrested a man named Alejandro Cao de Benos for helping Ethereum developer Virgil Griffith violate U.S. sanctions and travel to North Korea. Cao de Benos was found in Barcelona under a false identity and was intending to travel to Madrid. He was arrested at a train station in Madrid. However, he was released without conditions after appearing before a High Court judge. The U.S. is currently in the process of formalizing its extradition request and providing documentation. Cao de Benos has insisted that he will not be extradited, stating that there is no extradition and that the U.S. accusation is false. It is worth noting that the charges against Cao de Benos and another individual were underway as early as January, according to an FBI poster. Virgil Griffith traveled to North Korea in 2019 to participate in a crypto and blockchain conference and was subsequently arrested. He was convicted in 2021 and is currently serving his sentence. The DOJ alleges that Cao de Benos, along with a U.S. businessman named Christopher Emms, helped organize the conference and arranged for Griffith to travel to North Korea. Cao de Benos and Emms are both charged with conspiring to violate and evade U.S. sanctions, with a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

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