Former Ethereum developer Virgil Griffith, convicted in 2022 for aiding North Korea in utilizing blockchain technology, has filed a request for a reduction in his 63-month prison term.
Attorney Glen Garrett McGorty, representing Griffith, submitted a letter to Judge Kevin Castel of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on April 17, urging for a sentence revision based on recent amendments to U.S. sentencing guidelines.
The letter argues for Griffith’s eligibility for a two-point reduction under the revised guidelines, which grant leniency to certain “zero-point” offenders.
Griffith was convicted in April 2022 for violating sanctions laws by providing assistance to North Korea in blockchain technology usage. Despite economic sanctions against the state, he attended a conference there. He received a 63-month prison term and a $100,000 fine.
If granted, the reduction would adjust Griffith’s offense level from 26 to 24, potentially shortening his sentence by a year or more.
The defense requests the U.S. Probation Office to prepare a revised pre-sentence investigation report, scheduling a resentencing hearing. They also seek a briefing schedule to present updated information supporting the reduction request.
The defense aims for a sentence aligned with the lowest end of the new guidelines range, potentially leading to a 51-month term or even less.
Such offenders are typically first-time, non-violent individuals whose offenses indicate a lower risk of reoffending compared to others.
In May 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce imposed a 10-year export privilege ban on Griffith, who was in the initial year of his five-year sentence. This restricted his involvement in transactions involving commodities, software, or technology under U.S. export regulations.
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