North Koreans Exploit Remote Work to Fund Regime
A US court charged 14 North Koreans for fraud linked to North Korea’s weapons program. The suspects allegedly extorted funds from US companies using fake identities.
Prosecutors say thousands of North Korean IT workers obtained remote jobs using fake, stolen, or borrowed identities. Over six years, the scheme reportedly raised $88 million for North Korea.
The suspects worked for North Korean-controlled firms, Yanbian Silverstar in China and Volasys Silverstar in Russia. These firms hired 130 North Korean workers called “IT Warriors,” according to the US Department of Justice.
How the Scheme Operated
The suspects allegedly secured $10,000 monthly salaries from US employers. They also stole sensitive company data to demand extortion payments.
To evade detection, they used stolen identities and paid US residents to receive and host employer-provided laptops. The residents installed remote access software, making it seem the North Korean workers were US-based.
Charges against the suspects include wire fraud, money laundering, and identity theft. Investigators believe the suspects remain in North Korea, making prosecution unlikely. The US State Department offers up to $5 million for information on the suspects, Yanbian Silverstar, or Volasys Silverstar.
US officials have not named the targeted American companies. “While we’ve disrupted this group and identified its leadership, this is just the tip of the iceberg,” said FBI Special Agent Ashley T. Johnson. She added that North Korea deploys thousands of IT workers to perpetrate similar schemes daily.
