Caution:

Kim Il is allegedly a state-sponsored North Korean hacker who is part of an alleged criminal conspiracy responsible for some of the costliest computer intrusions in history. These intrusions caused damage to computer systems of, and stole currency and virtual currency from, numerous victims.

Kim was alleged to be a participant in a wide-ranging criminal conspiracy undertaken by a group of hackers of the North Korean government’s Reconnaissance General Bureau (RGB). The conspiracy comprised North Korean hacking groups that some private cybersecurity researchers have labeled the “Lazarus Group” and Advanced Persistent Threat 38 (APT38). For his part in the conspiracy, Kim is alleged to have been directly involved in the development and dissemination of a malicious cryptocurrency application, in cyber-enabled heists from financial institutions, and in the Marine Chain initial coin offering. On December 8, 2020, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Kim in the United States District Court, Central District of California, after he was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit computer fraud (computer intrusions).