U.S. Sanctions UAE Network for Laundering Crypto to North Korea

The U.S. Treasury Department has targeted a North Korean crypto money laundering scheme, imposing sanctions on individuals and entities in the UAE.

The sanctions focus on Green Alpine Trading LLC, a company that facilitated the conversion of cryptocurrency into cash for North Korea’s missile and weapons programs.

This move is part of ongoing efforts to halt North Korea’s use of digital assets for illicit activities.

The U.S. also sanctioned two Chinese nationals, Lu Huaying and Zhang Jian, for their involvement with Green Alpine Trading.

These sanctions freeze their U.S. assets and bar U.S. citizens from engaging with them.

North Korea has been accused of using crypto to fund its nuclear development, exploiting regulatory gaps in the U.S.

The amount laundered remains unclear but is linked to the regime’s broader illegal revenue generation efforts. The U.S. continues to push for stricter sanctions to curb North Korea’s access to funding for its weapons programs.