U.S. Sues Chinese Citizens, Company For Aiding North Korea

Four Chinese individuals and one Chinese company conspired to help North Korea develop its nuclear weapons program in defiance of U.S. economic sanctions, the Treasury and Justice Departments claim in a lawsuit. They are pursuing criminal charges, including money laundering and evading sanctions. The suit claims that Dandong Hongxiang Industrial Development Co. Ltd. and the individuals, operating through front companies, conducted financial transactions through the U.S. banking system that facilitated sales of goods to North Korea. The Justice Department also filed a civil complaint seeking forfeiture of all funds held in 25 Chinese bank accounts associated with DHID. “Today’s action exposes a key illicit network supporting North Korea’s weapons proliferation,” Adam J. Szubin, acting undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence at the Treasury Department, told the Washington Post. “Treasury will take forceful action to pressure North Korea’s proliferation network and to protect the U.S. financial system from abuse.”