The FBI released a wanted poster Thursday after 14 North Koreans were indicted for fraud and theft against U.S. companies and nonprofits, according to an FBI news release.
The bounty? $5 million.
It’s a small sum compared to the $88 million the alleged criminals stole during their six-year conspiracy.
The 14 conspirators were nationals of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea posing as American information technology workers.
They worked for the DPRK-controlled companies Yanbian Silverstar and Volasys Silverstar, which are located in China and Russia, respectively.
The Department of Justice has accused 14 North Korean nationals of conspiring to use false identities to get IT jobs with U.S. companies and siphon money back to their home country, in violation of US, Yid Info reported. pic.twitter.com/mX9nSsRowi
— Apex World News (@apexworldnews) December 13, 2024
The IT workers would steal American identities in order to obtain remote employment from U.S. companies.
Some of the workers had orders to earn at least $10,000 per month.
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To pad their incomes more, they would also resort to extortion.
The IT workers would steal sensitive company information and threaten to leak it unless the employer agreed to make an extortion payment.
“To prop up its brutal regime, the North Korean government directs IT workers to gain employment through fraud, steal sensitive information from U.S. companies, and siphon money back to the DPRK,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco.
“This indictment of 14 North Korean nationals exposes their alleged sanctions evasion and should serve as a warning to companies around the globe — be on alert for this malicious activity by the DPRK regime,” Monaco said.
A federal court in St. Louis, Missouri, indicted the workers on Wednesday.
The indictment was the most recent move against the conspirators in a two-year effort to disrupt this particular group, which is just one of many.
In January the FBI seized $320,000 from the group, then another $444,800 in July.
Prior to that, the FBI seized $1.5 million, along with 29 of the group’s internet domains used during their alleged schemes.
All 14 North Koreans were charged with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to commit identity theft, according to the FBI release.
Eight conspirators are charged with aggravated identity theft.
They each face a maximum penalty of 27 years in prison if they are ultimately convicted.
If you have any information concerning these individuals, please contact your local FBI office, the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or you can submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
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