Feds: North Korean IT Workers Steal Money to Siphon Back to Homeland
The FBI seeks information on these 14 North Korean IT workers, who the U.S. has indicted for identity theft, money laundering and conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions.
The 14 individuals listed in the press release include Jong Song Hwa, Ri Kyong Sik, Kim Ryu Song, Rim Un Chol, Kim Mu Rim, Cho Chung Pom, Hyon Chol Song, Son Un Chol, Sok Kwang Hyok, Choe Jong Yong, Ko Chung Sok, Kim Ye Won, Jong Kyong Chol and Jang Chol Myong.
Hiding in Plain Sight
These alleged conspirators reportedly lived in China and Russia to hide their North Korean identities and worked for Volasys Silverstar and Yanbian Silverstar, two companies controlled by North Korea, according to prosecutors.
In May 2022, the Treasury Department and other U.S. agencies issued an advisory claiming that North Korea sent thousands of highly skilled IT workers to make money in different parts of the world, according to the indictment.
This violated U.S. sanctions on North Korea as the IT workers reportedly used false Identities, VPNs and altered IP addresses to get remote jobs with U.S. nonprofit organizations and companies, according to the indictment.
The fourteen alleged conspirators, or IT Warriors, reportedly created money transfer accounts to receive payment from U.S. employers and send money back to North Korea via China-based banks, say prosecutors.
Remote Access Laptops
The IT Warriors also allegedly persuaded U.S. residents to obtain laptops from employers and install programs onto them that would allow for remote access from a foreign location, the indictment details. With access to the computers, some IT Warriors allegedly solicited payments from their employers in exchange for not releasing, or in some reported instances, them to stop releasing sensitive information about the company.
From around April 2017 to around March 2023, the IT Warriors allegedly used the identities of hundreds of U.S. citizens to gain upwards of $88 million in revenue that they sent home to North Korea, according to the indictment.
This is the latest news in the DOJ’s ongoing effort against the IT Warriors and others, including a seizure on Jan. 11 of around $312,642.55 USD and another seizure of around $444,828.01 on July 18, both in St. Louis, according to court documents. The DOJ also seized about $1.5 million between October 2022 and January 2023, as well as 29 online domains belonging to the group in May 2024.
$5 Million Reward Offered
In addition to the 34-page indictment of the 14 alleged conspirators, they have been placed on the FBI’s Most Wanted list with up to a $5 million reward for information leading to an arrest.
If you have any information, the FBI asks you to submit a tip to the authorities. If convicted, each defendant faces up to 27 years in prison.
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