Arizona Woman Gets Over 8 Years in Prison for Helping North Korean Tech Workers Trick U.S. Companies
An Arizona woman has been sentenced to more than eight years behind bars after running a large-scale scheme that helped North Korean tech workers secretly land remote jobs with hundreds of U.S. companies — including major corporations.
Christina Chapman, 50, pleaded guilty earlier this year after federal investigators uncovered what the Justice Department called one of the biggest fraud operations tied to North Korean IT workers. The plan involved using stolen identities of at least 68 Americans and defrauding over 300 U.S. businesses. The operation reportedly generated more than $17 million — money that could end up funding North Korea’s weapons programs.
According to court documents, Chapman ran what authorities described as a “laptop farm” out of her home. She collected and managed company-issued laptops that were meant for U.S.-based employees, but instead were being used by foreign tech workers — many linked to the North Korean regime — to make it seem like they were working from within the U.S.
Chapman was accused of shipping dozens of these devices overseas, including to cities in China near the North Korean border. When her home was searched in October 2023, investigators found more than 90 laptops.
In addition to the computer equipment, Chapman handled forged payroll documents and funneled salaries — earned using stolen identities — through her personal accounts before transferring the money to people overseas.
Some of the affected companies were big names, including Fortune 500 firms, an aerospace company, a car manufacturer, and even a major U.S. TV network. Officials didn’t publicly name the businesses. Two U.S. government agencies were also reportedly targeted, though the attempts to get hired there didn’t succeed.
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The Justice Department says that North Korea has built a vast network of highly skilled tech workers around the world. Many of them use fake identities or pretend to be from other countries to land remote jobs with Western companies. This strategy helps North Korea dodge international sanctions and get much-needed cash for its nuclear and weapons programs.
In 2022, U.S. officials warned about such scams involving North Korean IT workers posing as people from countries like South Korea or Japan. They often apply for remote jobs in fields like gaming, AI, and tech support.
Experts say that some of these IT workers operate alongside North Korean hackers. A White House official said in 2024 that roughly half of North Korea’s missile program is funded by cybercrime and crypto theft.
Michael Barnhart, a North Korea expert at cybersecurity firm Mandiant, told CNN that the regime has effectively turned its tech talent into a powerful weapon.
“By placing their IT workers inside Western companies, North Korea has created a serious insider threat,” he said. “They’re not just earning paychecks — they’re creating openings for North Korea’s more dangerous hacking operations.”
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