Cryptocurrency mixer Tornado Cash is accused of being used to launder more than $7 billion in virtual currency since 2019, including in connection with North Korea. On Monday August 8, the United States imposed financial sanctions.

U.S. Treasury 'sanctions Tornado Cash, a virtual currency mixer that launders money derived from cybercrimes, including those committed against victims in the United States,’ says Treasury Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson, in a statement.

Among the $7 billion in virtual currency the platform allegedly laundered, according to the Treasury, are „plus $455 million stolen by the Lazarus Group, a state-sponsored hacking group from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea ( DPRK) and which was sanctioned by the United States in 2019, in the biggest theft of virtual currency known to date”.

In mid-April, US authorities accused the Lazarus group and APT38 – hackers „associated” with the reclusive regime – of being responsible for the theft of $620 million in ethereum, which followed the hacking of the Axie Infinity video game at the end of March.