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Christina Chapman Charged in North Korea Job Scam
U.S. prosecutors have charged Christina Chapman, an Arizona resident, with facilitating a scheme that allowed North Koreans to find remote jobs in the United States while sending their earnings back to their home country.
Chapman, along with three North Korean nationals, is accused of orchestrating this complex operation. She allegedly stole the identities of American citizens, enabling foreign IT workers to impersonate Americans and secure employment with U.S. companies.
Facing nine counts of conspiracy to defraud the U.S., Chapman’s involvement is linked to a staggering operation that exploited the identities of 60 individuals, generating nearly $7 million (£5.5 million) in funds sent back to North Korea, potentially contributing to its weapons program.
The scheme, which began in October 2020, reportedly involved about 300 U.S. companies, including several Fortune 500 firms and a major television network. The indictment describes the workers as “highly skilled information technology (IT) workers.”
Chapman allegedly operated a “laptop farm” from her home, where she would access laptops issued by these companies, creating the illusion that the North Korean workers were physically present in the U.S. She assisted the IT workers in connecting to the laptops and collecting their wages.
