Unmasking Deception: How North Koreans Exploited Remote Work with Fake IDs

North Koreans in Remote Work Scandal

The U.S. Department of Justice recently indicted 14 North Koreans for working as information technology employees for foreign firms, breaching UN sanctions. The indictment revealed that around 130 North Korean workers assumed the identities of 188 Americans to secure remote jobs, amassing about $88 million over six years for the North Korean regime.

The Mechanics of the Scheme

The individuals charged worked for two companies based in North Korea, using stolen identities of U.S. citizens to disguise themselves as American IT professionals. They applied for jobs at various U.S. companies and nonprofits, often creating fake websites to showcase false employment histories with reputable organizations.

Ingenious Tactics Employed

In a bid to seem legitimate, the North Koreans sometimes hired Americans to attend job interviews and meetings on their behalf. Additionally, they arranged for Americans to set up laptops in their residences, which were then remotely accessed by the North Koreans, creating the illusion of working from within the United States.

Profits Funding Nuclear Ambitions

The financial gains were funneled into the North Korean government, with portions reportedly supporting Kim Jong Un’s nuclear program. Furthermore, the IT workers resorted to extortion tactics, threatening to leak proprietary software unless companies paid them additional sums.

Related Insights

For more on North Korea’s international maneuvers, check out my report in The Sift about their military presence near the Ukraine border.