The U.S. Justice Department has brought charges against five individuals, including a U.S. citizen woman, a Ukrainian man, and three foreign nationals, for participating in cyber schemes that funded North Korea‘s nuclear weapons program. They allegedly engaged in fraudulent activities between October 2020 and October 2023 as part of a coordinated campaign by the North Korean government to infiltrate U.S. job markets and raise revenue for its illicit nuclear program. Two of the accused, Christina Marie Chapman and Oleksandr Didenko, were arrested on May 15 and May 7, 2024, respectively, with extradition proceedings initiated for Didenko’s return to the U.S.
Chapman and Didenko face charges including conspiracy to defraud the United States, aggravated identity theft, and various counts of fraud and money laundering. Additionally, three other foreign nationals are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, Chapman could face up to 97.5 years in prison, while Didenko faces a maximum penalty of 67.5 years. The indictment alleges that Chapman facilitated the North Korean workers’ operation by housing their computers in her home, creating a “laptop farm” to give the appearance that their devices were in the United States.
The scheme involved hiring North Koreans as remote software developers for major U.S. companies, including those in aerospace, defense, technology, and media sectors. Chapman processed their paychecks through her accounts, while Didenko operated an online platform to provide false identities for North Korean workers seeking IT positions. The fraudulent activities compromised over 60 U.S. identities, impacted more than 300 U.S. companies, and generated millions of dollars in revenue for the overseas workers. In response, the U.S. State Department announced a reward for information related to Chapman’s co-conspirators, aiming to dismantle the network involved in funding North Korea’s nuclear program.
The U.S. Justice Department has brought charges against five individuals, including a U.S. citizen woman, a Ukrainian man, and three foreign nationals, for participating in cyber schemes that funded North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. They allegedly engaged in fraudulent activities between October 2020 and October 2023 as part of a coordinated campaign by the North Korean government to infiltrate U.S. job markets and raise revenue for its illicit nuclear program. Two of the accused, Christina Marie Chapman and Oleksandr Didenko, were arrested on May 15 and May 7, 2024, respectively, with extradition proceedings initiated for Didenko’s return to the U.S.
Chapman and Didenko face charges including conspiracy to defraud the United States, aggravated identity theft, and various counts of fraud and money laundering. Additionally, three other foreign nationals are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, Chapman could face up to 97.5 years in prison, while Didenko faces a maximum penalty of 67.5 years. The indictment alleges that Chapman facilitated the North Korean workers’ operation by housing their computers in her home, creating a “laptop farm” to give the appearance that their devices were in the United States.
The scheme involved hiring North Koreans as remote software developers for major U.S. companies, including those in aerospace, defense, technology, and media sectors. Chapman processed their paychecks through her accounts, while Didenko operated an online platform to provide false identities for North Korean workers seeking IT positions. The fraudulent activities compromised over 60 U.S. identities, impacted more than 300 U.S. companies, and generated millions of dollars in revenue for the overseas workers. In response, the U.S. State Department announced a reward for information related to Chapman’s co-conspirators, aiming to dismantle the network involved in funding North Korea’s nuclear program.
