A man named Alejandro Cao de Benós was arrested in Madrid on suspicion of teaching North Koreans how to use cryptocurrencies to bypass US sanctions. Spain’s National Police acted on Interpol’s tip-off, spotting Cao de Benós while he was traveling by train from Barcelona to Madrid. Authorities believe he might have used fake ID documents.
The US issued an arrest warrant in 2022, accusing Cao de Benós of collaborating with an American to provide crypto and blockchain services to North Korea against the law. The FBI lists him as the Korean Friendship Association’s founder.
Spanish police claim Cao de Benós organized crypto and blockchain conferences in North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang, in 2018, reportedly evading US sanctions. If found guilty in the US, he could face up to 20 years in prison.
However, Cao de Benós strongly denies these accusations, calling them “completely false” and pointing out the lack of evidence linking him to Virgil Griffiths. A report states North Korea has obtained over $3 billion in crypto illegally since 2017.