U.S. Woman Sentenced to 8+ Years for Aiding North Korea's Cyber Infiltration
A U.S. woman, Tracy Chapman, has been sentenced to over eight years in prison for aiding North Korea's IT workers in infiltrating hundreds of American companies. Christina Marie Chapman, 50, pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including identity theft and fraud.
Chapman ran a 'laptop farm' from her Arizona home, hosting devices from over 300 U.S. companies. This allowed North Korean IT workers to pose as U.S.-based employees and remotely infiltrate these companies. The scheme, active between October 2020 and October 2023, compromised the identities of 68 U.S. persons, created false tax liabilities, and caused false information to be conveyed to DHS over 100 times.
Through this operation, North Korea dispatched thousands of skilled IT workers globally and raised revenue estimated between $250 million to $600 million annually. Chapman herself shipped 49 devices abroad and helped earn over $17.1 million, using stolen identities to report fake income and cash forged checks. The FBI issued an advisory in May 2024 warning the public and private sector about this threat to U.S. businesses.
Chapman's actions were found to aid North Korea's illicit nuclear program. She pleaded guilty to charges including aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to defraud the U.S., and conspiracy to commit money laundering, wire fraud, identity fraud, and bank fraud. She was sentenced to 102 months in prison, demonstrating the severity of her crimes and the U.S.'s commitment to protecting its businesses and citizens from such threats.
