Crypto mixer sanctioned by US Treasury for role in Axie Infinity hack

The United States Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced Friday that it was sanctioning cryptocurrency mixer Blender.io for its relation successful laundering proceeds from the hacking of Axie Infinity's Ronin bridge. North Korean state-sponsored hackers Lazarus Group person been identified arsenic the perpetrators of the attack. 

Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson said successful a statement:

“Today, for the archetypal clip ever, Treasury is sanctioning a virtual currency mixer. […] We are taking enactment against illicit fiscal enactment by the DPRK and volition not let state-sponsored thievery and its money-laundering enablers to spell unanswered.”

Under the sanctions, each Blender.io spot successful the United States oregon successful the possession of U.S. persons is blocked and indispensable beryllium reported to OFAC.

According to OFAC, Blender.io processed $20.5 cardinal retired of astir $620 cardinal stolen from the Vietnam-based play-to-earn game successful the signifier of astir 173,600 Ether (ETH) and 25.5 cardinal USD Coin (USDC). OFAC besides recovered during its probe that Blender.io had facilitated wealth laundering for Russia-linked ransomware groups including Trickbot, Conti, Ryuk, Sodinokibi and Gandcrab. The Blender.io website was offline astatine the clip of writing.

The Treasury bureau besides added the addresses of 4 wallets utilized by Lazarus Group to launder immoderate of the stolen funds to its List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons.

Related: US Treasury Dept sanctions 3 Ethereum addresses allegedly linked to North Korea

There has been a information breach connected the Ronin Network.https://t.co/ktAp9w5qpP

— Ronin (@Ronin_Network) March 29, 2022

The Ronin span hack took spot connected March 23, but it was only discovered the pursuing week. The span was accessed done crippled developer Sky Mavis. That enactment had been indefinitely whitelisted aft helping process a surge successful transactions. Sky Mavis raised $150 cardinal to reimburse users who mislaid wealth successful the exploit, and Binance was capable to recover $5.8 cardinal of the money from 86 accounts. Lazarus Group was identified arsenic the hackers by OFAC successful mid-April.