A woman from Arizona and Tiktok influencer have received a multi-year prison for helping North Korean IT employees who fraudulently protect remotely jobs at more than 300 American companies.
Summary
- The American Tiktok -influencer Christina Chapman was sentenced to 102 months for helping North Korean IT employees remotely at American companies.
- Chapman operated a “laptop farm” in Arizona and helped DVK agents in money laundering of more than $ 17 million through stolen identities.
- Doj claims that the scheme has exposed sensitive American companies – including space travel and technology – to foreign infiltration.
Christina Marie Chapman, 50, was condemned Up to 102 months in prison by a federal judge in Washington, DC, after he has found guilty of accusations of conspiracy of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering.
The sentence also includes three years of guided release. She was instructed to forfeit more than $ 284,000 and pay $ 176,850 in refund.
Chapman operated a “laptop farm” for North Korean agents
According to the American authorities, Chapman played a central role in enabling North Korean IT employees to introduce themselves as American citizens to obtain technical jobs remotely.
From 2020 she operated a “laptop farm” from her house in Arizona, where computers sent by American companies were connected to external agents abroad.
With the help of this setup, the bad actors – largely based in China and near Noord -Korea – were able to mask their true locations and they seemed to work from the United States.
Researchers say that Chapman continued by sending at least 49 devices to overseas locations, including a city near the border of China – Noord -Korea. A search for her house in October 2023 resulted in the seizure of more than 90 laptops, many labeled with the identities of Americans whose personal information was stolen or borrowed to commit fraud.
What does the Ministry of Justice claim?
The Ministry of Justice accused Chapman of helping North Korean employees to submit false applications to stolen American identities, to receive wages through American banks and washing practices through its own accounts.
She reportedly falsified wage controls and received direct deposits from the companies that unconsciously hired the North Korean agents. The income was then transferred, while it was falsely reported to the IRS and the Social Security Administration under the names of American victims.
According to the complaint, Chapman’s actions helped to generate more than $ 17 million in illegal income for itself and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Public Prosecutors said that her efforts also endanger a sensitive American infrastructure by allowing foreign agents to gain virtual access to Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, space companies and technology companies in Silicon Valley.
Chapman’s operation has been active for several years and was one of the largest of its kind linked to North Korean infiltration efforts.
A total of at least 68 stolen identities were used to mislead 309 American companies and two international companies. Some applications were even aimed at US government agencies, although these attempts were reportedly not successful.
The DOJ study showed that Chapman not only managed and organized the hardware infrastructure, but has also kept detailed records that link each device to a specific company and identity.
“Today’s conviction brings justice to the victims whose identities have been stolen for this international fraud schedule,” said Special Agent in the leader Carissa Messick of the IRS Criminal Investigation.
Crypto industry remains a risk
Over the years, the Noord -Korean regime has transferred billions of dollars to cryptocurrency assets to finance its sanctioned weapon programs.
American intelligence reports and private investigations have shown that the DVK is implementing thousands of skilled IT professionals abroad, many of whom use VPNs, fake documents and stolen identities to bed in Western companies.
A report from Chainalysis showed that North Korea connected hackers alone stolen $ 1.34 billion in cryptocurrency in 2024. The Crypto industry has proven to be a frequent target because of the decentralized nature and relatively relaxed recruitment protocols for external roles.
American agencies have escalated the efforts to disturb the IT investment network of Noord -Korea by focusing on important infrastructure and agents.
Despite these efforts, American officials estimate that hundreds of DVK-linked employees remain embedded in companies worldwide, also in the crypto-space.
