{"id":84209,"date":"2024-07-17T20:04:26","date_gmt":"2024-07-18T00:04:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coinscreed.com\/staging\/?p=84209"},"modified":"2024-07-17T20:04:29","modified_gmt":"2024-07-18T00:04:29","slug":"ethereum-developer-prison-term-reduced-by-7-months","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coinscreed.com\/staging\/ethereum-developer-prison-term-reduced-by-7-months\/","title":{"rendered":"Ethereum Developer Prison Term Reduced by 7 Months"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Virgil Griffith, an <a href=\"https:\/\/coinscreed.com\/staging\/ethereum-developers-plan-to-continue-with-goerli-sepolia-testnets\/\">Ethereum developer<\/a>, has had his prison sentence for violating North Korea's sanctions reduced to 56 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/coinscreed.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/eth-dev-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Ethereum Developer Prison Term Reduced by 7 Months\" class=\"wp-image-84211\" srcset=\"https:\/\/coinscreed.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/eth-dev-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/coinscreed.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/eth-dev-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/coinscreed.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/eth-dev-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/coinscreed.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/eth-dev-860x484.jpg 860w, https:\/\/coinscreed.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/eth-dev.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Ethereum Developer Prison Term Reduced by 7 Months<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This week, the Ethereum developer Virgil Griffith was granted a seven-month reduction in his prison sentence. Griffith was convicted of violating the sanctions law during his 2019 visit to North Korea, where he delivered a speech on the use of cryptocurrency and blockchain to circumvent sanctions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Ethereum developer prison term  has been reduced<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The term of Virgil Griffith, an <a href=\"https:\/\/ethereum.org\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Ethereum<span class=\"wpil-link-icon\" title=\"Link goes to external site.\" style=\"margin: 0 0 0 5px;\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" style=\"height:16px; width:16px; fill:#000000; stroke:#000000; display:inline-block;\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:svg=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><g id=\"wpil-svg-outbound-7-icon-path\" fill=\"none\" clip-path=\"url(#clip0_31_188)\">\r\n                            <path d=\"M9.16724 14.8891L20.1672 3.88908\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"\/>\r\n                            <path d=\"M13.4497 3.53554L20.5208 3.53554L20.5208 10.6066\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\r\n                            <path d=\"M17.5 13.5L17.5 16.26C17.5 17.4179 17.5 17.9968 17.2675 18.4359C17.0799 18.7902 16.7902 19.0799 16.4359 19.2675C15.9968 19.5 15.4179 19.5 14.26 19.5L7.74 19.5C6.58213 19.5 6.0032 19.5 5.56414 19.2675C5.20983 19.0799 4.92007 18.7902 4.73247 18.4359C4.5 17.9968 4.5 17.4179 4.5 16.26L4.5 9.74C4.5 8.58213 4.5 8.0032 4.73247 7.56414C4.92007 7.20983 5.20982 6.92007 5.56414 6.73247C6.0032 6.5 6.58213 6.5 7.74 6.5L11 6.5\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"\/>\r\n                        <\/g>\r\n                        <defs>\r\n                            <clipPath id=\"clip0_31_188\">\r\n                                <rect fill=\"white\" height=\"24\" width=\"24\"\/>\r\n                            <\/clipPath>\r\n                        <\/defs><\/svg><\/span><\/a> developer who was initially sentenced to 63 months in April 2022, has been reduced to 56 months, as per a July 17 filing by District Judge Kevin Castel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Griffith's misconduct and the challenges he encountered during his incarceration were among the factors that influenced the decision to reduce his sentence. Castel concurred that Griffith's potential for future acts of criminality had diminished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, the judge noted that Griffith continued to violate the rules while in prison, even though he was not pleasant to be around. Nevertheless, <a href=\"https:\/\/coinscreed.com\/staging\/virgil-griffith-gets-over-63-months-100000\/\">Judge Castel <\/a>observed that the appellant's offense is of the utmost severity, necessitating a lengthy incarceration sentence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-twitter\"><blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">MASSIVE news, frens &#8212; Virgil Griffith is coming home!  Moments ago, the Court granted our motion to reduce Virgil&#39;s sentence and Judge Castel shaved seven months off the sentence. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/568nPKtOsC\" target=\"_blank\">pic.twitter.com\/568nPKtOsC<span class=\"wpil-link-icon\" title=\"Link goes to external site.\" style=\"margin: 0 0 0 5px;\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" style=\"height:16px; width:16px; fill:#000000; stroke:#000000; display:inline-block;\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:svg=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><use href=\"#wpil-svg-outbound-7-icon-path\"><\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/p>&mdash; Alexander Urbelis (@aurbelis) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/aurbelis\/status\/1813593386710102378?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">July 17, 2024<span class=\"wpil-link-icon\" title=\"Link goes to external site.\" style=\"margin: 0 0 0 5px;\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" style=\"height:16px; width:16px; fill:#000000; stroke:#000000; display:inline-block;\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:svg=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><use href=\"#wpil-svg-outbound-7-icon-path\"><\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2021, shortly before his trial in New York, Griffith entered a guilty plea for sanctions violations. Griffith was aware that the funds could be utilized by North Korea to circumvent sanctions imposed by the international community, according to the U.S. attorneys. Nevertheless, Griffith's defense counsel argued for a more lenient sentence, asserting that Griffith had no criminal record and that his actions had no financial repercussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Challenge to Government<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Griffith's attorneys desired a reduced sentence and a demonstration of his reformation, as he expressed remorse and took the time to contemplate his actions while in custody. Griffith reported to the unit officer in an attempt to evade a struggle, which resulted in his removal and subsequent charge of failure to remain in his cell during the facility count.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Griffiths' legal representatives subsequently submitted an application in April for a reduction in the sanction imposed, considering the modifications to the U.S. sentencing guidelines. Griffith's sentence range may be reduced by the new guidelines, which implies that he may be eligible for release in January 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nevertheless, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams objected to the reduction in June, citing Griffith's intentional actions to assist North Korea. This country is hostile to the United States and has a history of human rights atrocities. Williams argued that the original sentence should be maintained in light of Griffith's efforts to prevent the recurrence of similar cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Sentencing Adjustments and Prison Conduct<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution in Milan, Michigan, Griffith was accused of attempting to take soap and tea, among other infractions. The prosecutors had argued that his actions demonstrated a lack of respect for the prison rules and, as a result, he should not be granted any additional leniency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The U.S. Department of Commerce issued Griffith a 10-year export privilege denial order in addition to the criminal case. This order prohibits him from participating in any U.S. export-controlled commodities, software, or technology activities until 2032.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Virgil Griffith, an Ethereum developer, has had his prison sentence for violating North Korea&#8217;s sanctions reduced to 56 months. This week, the Ethereum developer Virgil Griffith was granted a seven-month reduction in his prison sentence. Griffith was convicted of violating the sanctions law during his 2019 visit to North Korea, where he delivered a speech [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":84211,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[8808,128,20643],"class_list":["post-84209","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-virgil-griffith","tag-ethereum","tag-judge-castel"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/coinscreed.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/eth-dev.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/coinscreed.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84209","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/coinscreed.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/coinscreed.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coinscreed.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coinscreed.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=84209"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/coinscreed.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84209\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coinscreed.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/84211"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/coinscreed.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=84209"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coinscreed.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=84209"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coinscreed.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=84209"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}