- **FBI Identifies Lazarus-Linked Bitcoin Wallets:**
- The FBI has pinpointed six Bitcoin wallets associated with the North Korean state-backed hacking group, Lazarus.
- These wallets contain a total of 1,580 BTC, valued at approximately $40 million, believed to be proceeds from multiple cryptocurrency hacks.
- **Potential #Selling Plans and #crypto Industry Alert:**
- The FBI has cautioned crypto companies that the movement of these funds might indicate intentions to sell.
- Crypto firms are advised to closely monitor these six BTC wallets through blockchain data.
- **Blockchain's Impact on Laundering:**
- While hacking groups like Lazarus have stolen billions, the transparency of blockchain makes it challenging for them to launder stolen funds as transactions are publicly recorded.
- **Collaboration and Fund Freezing:**
- The FBI and crypto firms have previously collaborated to freeze funds tied to hacking incidents, preventing illicit usage of the stolen assets.
- **FBI Warning on North Korean Hackers and Stolen Bitcoin:**
- The FBI issued a warning about potential actions by North Korean hackers to convert over $40 million worth of stolen bitcoin.
- The #hacking groups #Lazarus Group and APT38, both from North Korea, are suspected of orchestrating cryptocurrency hacks this year, including a $60 million theft from Alphapo and a $100 million exploit of Atomic Wallet.
- **Previous Hacks and Group Identification:**
- In a prior incident, the FBI attributed the Horizon Bridge hack, resulting in a loss of over $100 million, to these two groups.
- The FBI has identified six wallets containing a total of 1,580 #bitcoin ($41 million) connected to these hacker groups.
- Cryptocurrency companies are warned against engaging with these wallets.
The FBI expressed its commitment to exposing and countering the use of illicit activities, including cybercrime and virtual currency theft, by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to generate revenue for the regime.