Key Takeaways:
- Virgil Griffith Seeks Sentence Reduction: Virgil Griffith, previously linked with Ethereum, has filed a request to reduce his 63-month sentence for violating U.S. sanctions by assisting North Korea with blockchain technology.
- Legal Basis for Reduction: The request is based on recent changes in the U.S. sentencing guidelines, which potentially allow a two-point offense level reduction, potentially decreasing his sentence to a range of 51-63 months.
- Additional Legal Actions: Griffith’s legal team has also requested a revision of his pre-sentence report and a new sentencing hearing to argue for a minimum term of 51 months, alongside facing a 10-year ban on export privileges by the U.S. Department of Commerce.
In a significant legal development, Virgil Griffith, previously a developer for Ethereum, has made a formal request to lessen his current 63-month prison sentence.
This plea was conveyed through a letter by Griffith’s attorney, Glen Garrett McGorty, to Judge Kevin Castel at the Southern District of New York’s U.S. District Court on April 17.
🇰🇵 Virgil Griffith, a former #Ethereum developer sentenced in 2022 to 63 months in prison for aiding #NorthKorea's #blockchain efforts, has filed for a sentence reduction.
— GN Crypto (@GNcrypto_news) April 18, 2024
In the best-case scenario, his sentence could be cut down to 51 months.https://t.co/mjanEXtsft
The request is rooted in recent changes to the U.S. sentencing guidelines that offer a two-point offense level reduction for eligible “zero-point” offenders.
Griffith, sentenced in April 2022 for violating U.S. sanctions by aiding North Korea in blockchain technology applications, is asserting his eligibility for this reduction.
He received his sentence following a guilty plea for attending a North Korean conference and providing technical insights on blockchain, contravening U.S. economic sanctions.
️👮 Former Ethereum developer Virgil Griffith, who was sentenced to 63 months in prison, has filed a request for a sentence reduction. #Ethereum #NorthKoreahttps://t.co/0b6wIZGUkG
— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) April 18, 2024
The legal document highlights that these guideline amendments could decrease his offense level from 26 to 24, adjusting his sentence range to 51-63 months and possibly reducing his imprisonment by up to or more than a year.
Moreover, the letter petitions for a revision of the pre-sentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office, and requests the scheduling of a resentencing hearing.
Meanwhile elsewhere in crypto world, Ethereum developer who traveled to North Korea Virgil Griffith just had a new lawyer file a notice of appearance to represent him. Motion for release from prison coming? Inner City Press on the case(s) https://t.co/Ba0NF3nOAX pic.twitter.com/a9jWRozY8z
— Inner City Press (@innercitypress) April 17, 2024
It also calls for a briefing schedule to allow Griffith’s defense team to present new information and arguments in favor of the proposed sentence reduction, advocating for a minimum term of 51 months, if not shorter.
A “zero-point” offender typically refers to a first-time, non-violent offender whose circumstances suggest a lower likelihood of repeated offenses.
In a related development from May 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce imposed a 10-year ban on Griffith regarding export privileges.
Former #Ethereum dev Virgil #Griffith asks for resentencing in North #Korea case :
— TOBTC (@_TOBTC) April 18, 2024
Griffith’s attorneys are asking for a sentence reduction from 63 months to 51 months or less.
The plea was made in a letter from Glen Garrett McGorty, an attorney representing Virgil Griffith, to… pic.twitter.com/sGmMqSo0cn
This prohibits him from participating in any transactions related to goods, software, or technology under U.S. export laws, as he serves the first year of his five-year term.
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