North Korean Technology Workers Posed as Americans to Fund Weapons Programs: US Government

North Korean Workers Posed as Americans to Fund Weapons Program, US Government Reveals

In a shocking revelation, the US government has uncovered a scheme where North Korean technology workers posed as Americans to secure remote work contracts with hundreds of US companies. This elaborate plan was part of an effort to help fund Pyongyang’s illicit nuclear weapons and missile programs, a practice that has been ongoing for the past three years.

According to the State Department, a US national named Christina Chapman of Arizona aided three North Korean IT workers in obtaining “illicit telework employment” using the identities of US citizens, earning around $6.8 million in the process. More than 300 US companies were defrauded in this elaborate scheme.

The Justice Department also announced charges against Chapman and other alleged co-conspirators, highlighting a years-long campaign by the North Korean government to infiltrate the US job market through fraud to raise revenue for its illicit nuclear program.

Not only did Chapman assist in stealing US identities, but she also operated a “laptop farm” by hosting computers issued by US companies for the North Korean workers, making it appear as though they were based in the US. She also allegedly helped launder the proceeds through her own financial accounts, resulting in false documentation being filed to government agencies.

The US government also charged Oleksandr Didenko of Kyiv, Ukraine, for engaging in a similar effort to create accounts using false identities at US-based freelance IT job search platforms.

This revelation comes amidst ongoing efforts by North Korea to find new ways to fund its weapons program, including deploying IT workers overseas for government revenue. In addition to cyberattacks and other online crimes, North Korea has resorted to fake job offers and fraudulent schemes to raise funds.

The US State Department’s Rewards for Justice program is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information that leads to the disruption of efforts to fund North Korea’s weapons program.

With North Korean hackers targeting American companies for years, it is clear that the country is resorting to various tactics to raise money for its weapons programs, including ransomware attacks and cryptocurrency thefts.

The unfolding of this elaborate scheme sheds light on the lengths to which North Korea will go to fund its illicit nuclear and missile programs, and serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing threats posed by the country’s actions.