Ex-Ethereum Developer Virgil Griffith Seeks Sentence Reduction Per New U.S. Guidelines
Summary:
Former Ethereum developer, Virgil Griffith, who was convicted with a 63-month prison sentence in 2022 for aiding North Korea in understanding blockchain technology, is now seeking a sentence reduction. This plea comes amid newly updated U.S. sentencing guidelines that extend the possibility of a two-point offense reduction for select "zero-point" offenders. The legal representation for Griffith has requested the court to reconsider Griffith's sentence, as they argue he qualifies for the two-point reduction under the new mandates. The U.S. Department of Commerce has also placed a 10-year export privilege ban on Griffith.
In 2022, Virgil Griffith, a previous Ethereum developer was convicted, being sentenced to 63 months of imprisonment for facilitating North Korea's understanding of blockchain technology. Now, he seeks a sentence reduction. His defense attorney, Glen Garrett McGorty, penned a letter to Judge Kevin Castel of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on April 17, putting forth this appeal. The proposal is for the court to reconsider Griffith's sentence in light of new modifications to the U.S. sentencing guidelines, which now allows for a two-point reduction for certain offenders classified as “zero-point”.
Griffith was sentenced in April 2022 to 63 months and fined $100,000 after admitting guilt to breaking sanctions laws - this occurred when he attended a gathering in North Korea and guided them on the use of blockchain technology. The United States had previously imposed economic sanctions.
In the letter, it's argued that Griffith meets the criteria to be considered a “zero-point" offender and, as such, qualifies for a two-point reduction under the new guidelines. This step could mitigate his total offense level from 26 to 24, thereby altering his guidelines range to fall between 51 and 63 months. In turn, he could potentially receive a sentence reduction by a year or more.
The defense further asks that the court instruct the U.S. Probation Office to produce a revised pre-sentence assessment report, organize a resentencing hearing, and set a briefing date that would allow for the defense to present updated data and arguments backing their request for sentence reduction.
In Griffith’s case, his classification as a “zero-point” offender, would imply that he is a first-time, non-violent lawbreaker who has particular qualities that suggest a lesser probability of reoffending compared to other criminals.
The U.S. Department of Commerce also enforced a 10-year prohibition on export privileges for Griffith in May 2023, who was serving his five-year term's initial year. This regulation restricts Griffith from participating in transactions involving commodities, software, or technology under the purview of U.S. export laws.
Published At
4/18/2024 6:52:34 AM
Disclaimer: Algoine does not endorse any content or product on this page. Readers should conduct their own research before taking any actions related to the asset, company, or any information in this article and assume full responsibility for their decisions. This article should not be considered as investment advice. Our news is prepared with AI support.
Do you suspect this content may be misleading, incomplete, or inappropriate in any way, requiring modification or removal?
We appreciate your report.