Fraud Alert!
An Arizona woman just got hit with a hefty prison sentence—over eight years! Why? She was part of a major scam helping North Koreans snag remote IT jobs at 309 American companies, one of which is even a Fortune 500 member.
The FBI uncovered that the victims in this scandal range from one of the top television networks to a big Silicon Valley tech company, an aerospace manufacturer, a well-known carmaker, a luxury retail outlet, and a US media firm. The scheme cooked up by Christina Marie Chapman, 50, and her North Korean accomplices raked in over $17.1 million!
North Korea has been stealthily deploying thousands of its IT workers globally, with many situated in the U.S. They use fake, stolen, or borrowed identities to go after remote jobs. The money they earn supports their nation, which is under intense global sanctions.
It’s believed that this operation is one of the largest of its kind ever. 68 US citizens had their identities compromised. Chapman, a US citizen herself, was actively aiding North Korean IT workers from October 2020 through October 2023, providing them with stolen identities to apply for remote jobs. As part of their plot, they submitted forged documents to the Department of Homeland Security over 100 times!
According to the FBI statement, Chapman cleverly utilized temporary staffing companies and other contractors to slip past the pre-employment screening processes of organizations. She set up what’s called a “laptop farm,” allowing her to host computers from US businesses at her home. This way, the companies thought the workers were in the US. Authorities found over 90 laptops at Chapman’s place during a search in October 2023!
US Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, who oversaw this high-profile case, has issued a serious warning to businesses.
“The call is coming from inside the house,” Pirro stated. “If this can happen to big banks, iconic Fortune 500 companies, it can also happen at your business.”
She further mentioned, “Corporations that don’t verify their virtual employees are exposing themselves to serious security risks. You are the first line of defense against the North Korean threat.”
Roman Rozhavsky, from the FBI Counterintelligence Division, pointed out how much more serious this issue is, noting that through these illegal overseas IT jobs, North Korea has been generating millions for its nuclear weapons initiatives.
