In a press conference, the FBI and DOJ revealed that North Korea has been sending IT workers to secure remote American jobs, which they use to raise funds for their ballistic missile program. These workers have been using false identities to obtain these jobs with US companies. It is estimated that thousands of North Korean IT workers are involved in this scheme. The FBI recommends that companies take extra precautions in verifying the identity of potential hires, such as conducting video interviews. Federal authorities have seized $1.5 million and 17 domain names as part of the ongoing investigation.
The scheme of North Korean IT workers secretly sending their wages to fund the country’s ballistic missile program has been going on for years. These workers are contracted by North Korea to work remotely with US companies, primarily in St. Louis but also across the country and in other countries as well. The FBI spokesperson, Rebecca Wu, stated that there are thousands of North Korean IT workers involved in this scheme. To combat this issue, the FBI advises companies to be diligent in verifying the identity of remote IT workers, suggesting video interviews as a means of verification.
The US authorities have been aware of this scheme for some time. In May 2022, they issued an advisory warning about North Koreans posing as non-North Korean nationals to obtain employment. Court documents reveal that the North Korean government dispatched thousands of IT workers to China and Russia, where they deceive businesses into hiring them as freelance remote employees. These workers generate millions of dollars each year for North Korea’s weapons programs. In addition, some of them infiltrate computer networks, steal information, and maintain access for future hacking and extortion endeavors.
