Security News > 2022 > September > Feds freeze $30m in cryptocurrency stolen from Axie Infinity

Federal investigators and private companies seized $30 million in cryptocurrency stolen in March by North Korean-linked APT gang Lazarus Group from a video game developer, the latest example of the growing skills of government and cybersecurity experts to track and recover such ill-gotten gains.

Plante also said she expects more stolen cash to be clawed back from North Korean groups.

The US has aggressively targeted threat groups connected to North Korea - which uses stolen cryptocurrencies to get around sanctions and to fund its defense programs - and software that help launder the stolen money, such as crypto-mixers like Tornado Cash.

In the Axie Infinity case, the Lazarus Group crooks gained access to five of the nine private keys used by transaction validators for Ronin Network, an Ethereum-based DeFi platform used by the game developer.

Last month the US Treasury Department placed sanctions on Tornado Cash for laundering more than $455 million stolen by Lazarus Group.

In the Axie Infinity case, while authorities have seized the $30 million in crypto, it could be a while before Sky Mavis gets its money back.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2022/09/09/cryptocurrency_lazarus_axie/