The person at the center of this case
United States Government / Sanctions Enforcement
Cold Case · Open
4 years waiting · since 2022
ALEJANDRO CAO DE BENOS
Justice for United States Government / Sanctions Enforcement — the trail went cold in 2022, but the truth hasn't.
Start here
Key leads to think about
🎯
suspect
Lead #1Where is Alejandro Cao de Benós currently located in Spain and is he still actively involved in sanctions violations?
👤
person
Lead #2Who is the American cryptocurrency expert that was arrested, and what additional details can he provide about Cao de Benós's coordination with DPRK officials?
🔍
evidence
Lead #3What specific blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies were offered to the DPRK, and were there any successful transfers before the conspiracy was disrupted?
Alejandro Cao de Benós, founder of the Korean Friendship Association, is wanted for allegedly conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions on North Korea by organizing cryptocurrency and blockchain conferences and recruiting American experts to provide illegal services to the DPRK. Beginning in 2018, he allegedly coordinated the illegal provision of technology services, arranged travel to Pyongyang in 2019, and attempted to conceal the conspiracy from U.S. authorities. A federal arrest warrant was issued in January 2022, and he is believed to be living in Spain, making his current whereabouts and cooperation status key investigative questions.
Case
#539
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) - Counterintelligence Division, U.S. District Court Southern District of New York
Try asking
Claim this imported case
A one-time $10 claim transfers this imported case workspace to your account. You get 10 uploads for this case, 25 daily AI questions for this case, and public tips with files route to you.
10 uploads25 AI questions/day
This does not start a subscription. When the included limits are reached, the Personal plan unlocks more workspace capacity.
More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
📞
contact
Lead #4What communications exist between Cao de Benós and co-conspirator Christopher Douglas Emms, and are there other unknown participants in the scheme?
💡
clue
Lead #5Did the planned 2020 cryptocurrency conference proceed in any form after the American expert's arrest, and what evidence exists of ongoing sanctions violations?
Have information about any of these leads?
Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
Conspiracy to Violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) Caution: Alejandro Cao de Benós is wanted for allegedly conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Specifically, conspiring to violate United States sanctions on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (“DPRK” or “North Korea”) by working with an American citizen to illegally provide cryptocurrency and blockchain technology services to the DPRK.
Beginning in or about early 2018, Cao de Benós, the founder of the “Korean Friendship Association,” a pro-DPRK affinity organization, organized the “Pyongyang Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Conference” for the benefit of the DPRK. Cao de Benós allegedly recruited an American cryptocurrency expert to provide services to the DPRK at the Conference and arranged his travel to the DPRK in April of 2019 for this purpose, in violation of United States sanctions.
Cao de Benós allegedly coordinated approval from the DPRK government for the expert's participation in the Conference and continued to conspire afterwards to include holding a second cryptocurrency conference in the DPRK in 2020. Cao de Benós allegedly took steps in an effort to conceal these activities, and the expert's role in the conspiracy, from United States authorities.
The expert was arrested by United States authorities in November of 2019, disrupting the scheme and the second conference planned for 2020. At no time did Cao de Benós, or co-conspirator Christopher Douglas Emms , obtain permission from the Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), to provide goods, services, or technology to the DPRK, as is required by law.
A federal arrest warrant was issued for Cao de Benós in the United States District Court, Southern District of New York, New York, New York, on January 27, 2022, after he was charged with Conspiracy to Violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Remarks: Alejandro Cao de Benós is known to live in Spain.
Timeline of Events
🕵️
2018-01-01
Conspiracy begins
Alejandro Cao de Benós allegedly begins organizing cryptocurrency and blockchain conference activities for the benefit of the DPRK
📞
2019-04-01
American expert travels to DPRK
Recruited American cryptocurrency expert travels to Pyongyang to provide services at the conference, in violation of U.S. sanctions
📋
2019-11-01
Expert arrested
American cryptocurrency expert arrested by U.S. authorities, disrupting the conspiracy and planned second conference
🕵️
2022-01-27
Arrest warrant issued
Federal arrest warrant issued for Alejandro Cao de Benós in U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:January 1, 2018
Last Updated:April 29, 2026
Leave a comment
Comments
Case Information
Incident:January 1, 2018
Last Updated:April 29, 2026