Former North Korean Official in Thailand Charged With Violating US Sanctions

A former North Korean official serving in Thailand, Myong Ho Ri, was charged with conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions, bank fraud and money laundering, DOJ announced.

According to an indictment unsealed April 15, Ri used dollar wire transfers to set up shipments of goods to North Korea without getting a license from the Treasury Department. He's charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and 18 counts of money laundering for the scheme to get goods into North Korea from Thailand by way of China.

Starting around February 2015, Ri, while working in North Korea's embassy in Thailand, negotiated contracts to smuggle goods into North Korea. Ri allegedly hid the goods' final destination from banks in the U.S. and sent the shipments through Dalian, China, DOJ said.