Grimy Times has learned that a former North Korean official has been charged with conspiracy to violate U.S. economic sanctions, bank fraud, and international money laundering.
Myong Ho Ri, a former Third Economic and Commercial Secretary in the Embassy of North Korea in Thailand, used his position to negotiate contracts on behalf of a North Korean company to ship goods into North Korea from Thailand, utilizing multiple front companies and co-conspirators in Thailand and Malaysia. Ri and his co-conspirators deliberately concealed the intended destination of the goods from banking institutions located in the United States and directed shipments through Dalian, China in order to obscure the true nature of their business.
According to the indictment, beginning around February 2015, Ri allegedly skirted the sanctions put in place to protect our national security and thwarted U.S. banking laws, so that he could conduct business for North Korea, a foreign government that is determined to unlawfully expand its nuclear program.
Working with our partners, authorities will make every effort to bring to justice the people who put this country at risk, no matter where in the world they operate. ‘This defendant allegedly skirted the sanctions put in place to protect our national security,’ said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves. ‘He is also alleged to have thwarted U.S. banking laws, so that he could conduct business for North Korea, a foreign government that is determined to unlawfully expand its nuclear program.’
Ri is charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and 18 counts of international money laundering relating to a scheme to smuggle goods into North Korea from Thailand via Dalian, China.
On March 15, 2016, the President issued Executive Order 13,722 to address the Government of North Korea’s continuing pursuit of its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. That and subsequent regulations prohibit the export of financial services from the United States or by any U.S. person to North Korea, including the processing of U.S. dollar wires for transactions conducted overseas.
The case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigation’s Washington D.C. Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Tortorice and Maeghan Mikorski from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Defendant Name: Myong Ho Ri
Criminal Charges: conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and 18 counts of international money laundering
City and State: Washington D.C.
Exact Date: February 2015 (beginning of the scheme)
Sentence or Outcome: Currently pending
Dollar Amounts: None specified in the source
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Key Facts
- State: Washington DC
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Cybercrime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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