US Indicts North Koreans in £70 Million Identity Theft Case | World News
Fourteen individuals from North Korea have been charged with using fake identities to secure IT positions with American companies and funnel money back to their authoritarian regime.
This alleged activity, if verified, breaches US sanctions imposed on the isolated nation.
A federal indictment filed in Missouri claims that between April 2017 and March 2023, a total of $88 million (£70 million) was generated for the North Korean government.
According to various government agencies, including the FBI, some of this income was directed towards the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) weapons development programs.
The indictment indicates that these individuals “misrepresent themselves” as teleworkers either based in foreign countries or in the US.
Pic: FBI
Ashley T Johnson, the special agent in charge of the FBI in St Louis, stated that the individuals stole sensitive data from companies or threatened to leak information in exchange for extortion payments, in addition to their salaries.
Victims included companies that were scammed and individuals whose identities were taken across the United States, Ms Johnson reported.
All 14 suspects are facing charges such as wire fraud, money laundering, and identity theft.
Most are believed to be residing in North Korea, and Ms Johnson acknowledged the challenges of bringing them to justice.
A reward of $5 million (£4 million) is being offered for any relevant information.
The indictment revealed the suspects allegedly utilized “virtual private networks, virtual private servers, third-country IP addresses, proxy accounts, and falsified or stolen identification documents”.
They are accused of secretly gaining IT development positions with companies worldwide, spanning various sectors.
Some reportedly developed applications and software for their employers and, in certain cases, misused “privileged access gained through such employment for illicit purposes”.
Additionally, they allegedly facilitated “malicious cyber intrusions by other DPRK operatives into an employer’s network”.
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The FBI indicated that the majority were operating on behalf of entities “directly involved in the DPRK’s UN-prohibited nuclear and ballistic missile programs”.
They are also reported to be involved in the development of conventional weapons.
In October 2023, the FBI in St Louis announced the seizure of $1.5 million (£1.2 million) and 17 domain names as part of the investigation.
Ms Johnson is urging companies to exercise caution when vetting IT employees hired for remote work.
“One way to help minimize your risk is to require that current and future IT workers appear on camera as often as possible if they are fully remote,” she stated.
