Virgil Griffith released on bail; lawyer says he ‘should not have been indicted’
Ethereum research scientist Virgil Griffith has now been released on bail, a day after he was formally indicted in North Korea case.
Inner City Press reported the news on Thursday, saying that Griffith’s bail was delayed for 10 days without any explanation. He was to be released on bail on Dec. 30.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons, the agency under the Department of Justice responsible for the custody of incarcerated individuals, however, shows that Griffith is still locked up.
Griffith was formally indicted on Wednesday for "conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.” He is accused of illegally traveling to North Korea and presenting at a blockchain conference despite the U.S. Department of State’s denial of permission to travel to the country.
"Virgil should not have been indicted,” Griffith's lawyer, Brian Klein, told CoinDesk, adding: “We are going to vigorously contest the charge and look forward to getting all the facts in front of the jury at trial.”
If found guilty, Griffith faces up to 20 years in prison.
