Security Expert Warns of North Korean Workers in Up to 20% of Crypto Firms

Pablo Sabbatella, founder of web3 audit firm Opsek, cautioned that 15%–20% of cryptocurrency companies may unknowingly employ North Korean operatives and that 30%–40% of job applications could be from such agents. He described tactics including identity fronts, remote access, and freelance platform use to bypass sanctions. The U.S. Treasury reported that North Korea stole $3 billion over the past three years to fund its nuclear weapons program, underscoring the scale of the threat to crypto industry security and compliance.