The United States has charged five people for helping North Korean IT workers infiltrate 136 U.S. companies.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is seeking to seize $15 million in cryptocurrency linked to APT38 cyberattacks.
These actions expand a broader U.S.–U.K. crackdown on cyber-fraud networks across Asia.
The U.S. Department of Justice has announced new measures targeting North Korea’s covert efforts to generate revenue through identity theft, remote tech work, and large-scale cryptocurrency theft—operations that authorities say directly support the country’s sanctioned weapons programs.
Four American citizens and one Ukrainian national have pleaded guilty to aiding North Korean IT operatives by supplying stolen or forged identities, hosting corporate laptops, and helping DPRK workers bypass standard hiring checks. According to officials, the scheme allowed North Korean operatives to embed themselves in 136 U.S. companies and funnel more than $2.2 million back to the regime.
In a related move, the DOJ filed two forfeiture actions against more than $15 million in USDT linked to Advanced Persistent Threat 38 (APT38), a North Korean military hacking unit responsible for some of the largest crypto-exchange breaches worldwide. In 2023, APT38 looted hundreds of millions of dollars from exchanges in Estonia, Panama, and the Seychelles, laundering the stolen assets through mixers, bridges, and over-the-counter brokers. Investigators intercepted part of the laundering chain, froze the funds, and now seek to permanently confiscate them.
For years, U.S. agencies have warned that North Korean operatives disguise themselves as freelance developers or remote employees to access corporate systems. They rely on stolen Social Security numbers, fake U.S. addresses, and remote proxy computers to appear as domestic workers. Some DPRK tech operatives reportedly earn hundreds of thousands of dollars each year, collectively generating “hundreds of millions” for the regime. The DOJ says these intrusions endanger both national security and economic stability.
These developments come amid an intensified U.S. push against Asian cyber-fraud networks. This week, authorities launched the Scam Center Strike Force, a new unit dedicated to combating Southeast Asian “pig-butchering” schemes that have stolen billions from Americans. Last month, the U.S. and U.K. jointly sanctioned major criminal groups in Cambodia and Laos linked to crypto laundering.
Together, these steps signal a strategic shift: U.S. agencies are targeting not only individual hackers but also the broader infrastructure supporting global crypto-enabled crime.
The DOJ says additional arrests, asset seizures, and international operations are underway. The FBI is urging U.S. companies to strengthen vetting procedures for remote tech hires and monitor for unusual logins or data activity.
Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg emphasized that the U.S. will use “every available tool” to cut off North Korea’s revenue streams. As the DPRK increasingly relies on crypto theft and remote-work fraud to evade sanctions, officials warn that these enforcement actions are just the beginning.
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