Former Ethereum Dev Virgil Griffith Requests Sentence Reduction Under Revised Guidelines

Former Ethereum developer Virgil Griffith, who was sentenced to 63 months in prison for aiding North Korea with blockchain technology, has submitted a request for sentence reduction. Griffith's attorney argues that revised U.S. sentencing guidelines provide a two-point offense level reduction for first-time, non-violent offenders like Griffith, potentially lowering his sentence by a year or more. The letter asks the court to order a revised pre-sentence investigation report and schedule a resentencing hearing.

Former Ethereum Developer Virgil Griffith Requests Sentence Reduction

On April 17, 2023, Glen Garrett McGorty, an attorney representing Virgil Griffith, submitted a plea to Judge Kevin Castel of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, requesting a reduction in his client's prison sentence.

In 2022, Griffith was sentenced to 63 months in prison and a $100,000 fine after pleading guilty to violating sanctions laws. Griffith had attended a conference in North Korea and assisted the state in using blockchain technology, despite economic sanctions imposed by the United States.

Griffith's plea cites newly enacted revisions to U.S. sentencing guidelines, which provide a two-point offense level reduction for certain "zero-point" offenders. The letter argues that Griffith qualifies for this reduction based on the criteria outlined in the revised guidelines.

A "zero-point" offender is a first-time, non-violent offender whose crime meets certain criteria indicating a lower risk of recidivism compared to other lawbreakers.

If Griffith is granted a two-point reduction, his total offense level would be lowered from 26 to 24, resulting in a revised guidelines range of 51 to 63 months. This reduction could potentially shorten his sentence by a year or more.

The letter requests that the court order the U.S. Probation Office to draft a revised pre-sentence investigation report and schedule a resentencing hearing. The defense also requests an opportunity to provide updated information and arguments in support of their reduction request.

"The defense respectfully requests the opportunity to provide the Court with updated information which would counsel toward a sentence no greater than the lowest end of the new Guidelines range–51 months—if not lower," the letter states.

In addition to his prison sentence, Griffith was also subjected to a 10-year export privilege ban in May 2023 by the U.S. Department of Commerce. This ban restricts him from engaging in any transactions involving commodities, software, or technology that fall under the jurisdiction of U.S. export regulations.

Griffith is currently serving the first year of his five-year sentence. The court has yet to rule on his request for a sentence reduction.