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North Korean Lazarus Group Steals $290 Million in Crypto Theft

4/22/2026

34 6 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

The Lazarus Group, linked to North Korea, stole $290 million from Kelp DAO over the weekend, the largest crypto theft of 2026.
The breach exploited vulnerabilities in Kelp DAO's LayerZero protocol, allowing attackers to bypass security measures.
North Korea-linked heists have totaled more than $3 billion in cryptocurrency since 2017 to fund weapons programs, raising concerns about decentralized finance (DeFi) security.

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Story summary

The Lazarus Group, linked to North Korea, stole $290 million from Kelp DAO over the weekend, the largest crypto theft of 2026.
The breach exploited vulnerabilities in Kelp DAO's LayerZero protocol, allowing attackers to bypass security measures.
North Korea-linked heists have totaled more than $3 billion in cryptocurrency since 2017 to fund weapons programs, raising concerns about decentralized finance (DeFi) security.