TLDR
The U.S. Department of Justice moved to forfeit about $15.1 million in Tether USDt (USDT) tied to North Koreas APT38 hacking group, traced to 2023 crypto platform thefts per a DOJ update.
- The FBI seized the funds in March 2025; DOJ is seeking court forfeiture to return assets to victims reported this week.
- The USDT was linked to four 2023 breaches and laundering across bridges, mixers, exchanges, and OTC desks per coverage.
- Five individuals in the U.S. pleaded guilty for aiding North Korean IT-worker infiltration of 136 companies as noted.
Deep Dive
1. Amount and Actor
DOJ is pursuing forfeiture of roughly $15.1 million in USDT linked to APT38, the North Korean military-affiliated hacking unit that targeted multiple crypto platforms in 2023 %%CKPROTECTED0%%.
- The funds were identified as proceeds from four overseas platform breaches in 2023, attributed to APT38s campaigns against crypto firms as summarized.
- Authorities emphasized ongoing tracing and seizures as APT38 continues laundering via bridges, mixers, exchanges, and OTC brokers per the notice above.
Stablecoin flows are traceable. Ill-gotten USDT can be frozen or seized when law enforcement connects it to specific crimes.
2. Timing and Process
The FBI first seized the USDT in March 2025%%CKPROTECTED2%%. DOJ filed civil forfeiture complaints and now seeks court approval to permanently forfeit and return assets to victims per detailed coverage.
- Forfeiture is a legal process to transfer ownership of seized assets to the government for victim restitution or other authorized uses noted in the report above.
Victims of 2023 platform hacks could recover funds once forfeiture is approved, a reminder that post-incident restitution can take months.
3. Related Enforcement
Alongside the seizure, DOJ announced five guilty pleas tied to North Korean IT-worker infiltration schemes that touched 136 U.S. companies as outlined.
- These cases show a broader campaign: crypto theft plus illicit remote-work income to fund sanctioned programs covered in the article above.
Enforcement is expanding beyond asset seizures to the human networks that enable illicit operations, increasing deterrence and recovery odds.
Conclusion
DOJs latest action centers on $15.1 million in USDT tied to North Korean cyber heists, with assets seized by the FBI in March and now moving through forfeiture to repay victims. The case underscores stablecoin traceability and coordinated enforcement against both crypto-theft proceeds and the support networks behind them.
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