Tornado Cash was originally sanctioned in August 2022 amid allegations that it facilitated the laundering of over $7 billion in illicit funds, according to the US Treasury, primarily linked to North Korea’s Lazarus Group and high-profile crypto exploits

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OFAC sanctioned Tornado Cash in August 2022 after claiming cybercriminals, particularly those tied to North Korea and its hacker ring, the Lazarus Group, used the platform to launder cryptocurrency procured from illicit activity

In total, Tornado Cash has purportedly facilitated the laundering of more than $7 billion in illicit funds since the protocol was launched in 2019, according to the US Treasury

In August 2022, OFAC sanctioned Tornado Cash after alleging the blockchain protocol helped launder cryptocurrency stolen by Lazarus Group, a North Korean hacking outfit

The crypto mixing tool has been accused of helping North Korea's Lazarus Group launder stolen funds from its various hacks and thefts

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