Mun Chol Myong, the first North Korean national ever extradited to the U.S., has effectively served a 45-month sentence for an array of money laundering charges, the Justice Department announced Friday.

The decision comes after years of legal back-and-forth as Mun’s attorneys and government prosecutors continued to uncover evidence and marks a victory for the U.S. sanctions regime.

According to a government press release, Mun entered an “Alford plea” for all charges, meaning his lawyers likely believe the prosecution has enough evidence to convince a jury to find him guilty, though they maintain his innocence.

The Justice Department says