Two Americans Indicted in Remote Work Scheme That Employed North Koreans in US [Video]

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the indictment of two North Korean nationals and three facilitators, including two Americans, involved in a multiyear fraudulent scheme to secure remote information technology (IT) work from U.S. companies.

Why It Matters

Over the last few years, U.S. agencies have uncovered efforts by North Korea to have their citizens employed by American companies. Higher-paying IT salaries can often be filtered back to the government, allowing North Korea access to sensitive information.

The Justice Department said North Korea has sent “thousands” of IT workers to China, Russia and Southeast Asia, as well.

This is not the first time a North Korean group has infiltrated U.S. companies remotely. In May 2024, a woman was accused of helping North Koreans gain freelance IT employment at U.S. companies. In August, a U.S. citizen was charged with aiding North Korean actorsin obtaining remote IT work and laundering their salaries to finance the country’s weapons program. …