The 39-year-old fined and behind bars for using crypto

A US cryptocurrency expert is behind bars for helping North Korea evade sanctions

The former US researcher at a cryptocurrency group has been sentenced to more than five years in Jail.

Virgil Griffith is locked up for conspiring to help North Korea evade US sanctions using crypto.

The 39-year-old had been facing a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $1 million dollar fine.

He had earlier pleaded guilty but this sentence is the minimum amount of prison time sought by prosecutors.

He formerly worked for the Ethereum Foundation, a non-profit organisation focused on the tech behind the cryptocurrency ether.

He was also fined $100,000 dollars.