The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is issuing a warning to crypto investors that North Korean hackers are looking to unload tens of millions of dollars worth of stolen Bitcoin (BTC) onto the market.
In a new press release, the enforcement agency says they have identified wallet addresses associated with the North Korean hacking group TraderTraitor, also known as Lazarus, and warns investors that they may be looking to cash out $40 million worth of BTC.
“The FBI is warning cryptocurrency companies of recent blockchain activity connected to the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency. Over the last 24 hours, the FBI tracked cryptocurrency stolen by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) TraderTraitor-affiliated actors (also known as Lazarus Group and APT38).
The FBI believes the DPRK may attempt to cash out the Bitcoin worth more than $40 million dollars. The FBI investigation found the TraderTraitor-affiliated actors moved approximately 1,580 Bitcoin from several cryptocurrency heists and are currently holding those funds in [the] following Bitcoin addresses:
The FBI notes that North Korean hackers were responsible for several high-profile crypto heists in June, including $60 million from crypto payments provider AlphaPo, $37 million from crypto wallet provider CoinsPaid, and $100 million from crypto wallet provider Atomic Wallet.
Other crypto entities targeted by the group include Harmony’s (ONE) Horizon bridge and Sky Mavis’ Ronin bridge (RON), according to the press release.
According to the Bureau, investors should be aware of the addresses associated with the hackers and avoid any affiliation with them.
“Private sector entities should examine the blockchain data associated with these addresses and be vigilant in guarding against transactions directly with, or derived from, the addresses. The FBI will continue to expose and combat the DPRK’s use of illicit activities – including cybercrime and virtual currency theft – to generate revenue for the regime.”
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