North Korean representatives criticized the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) by describing its actions as “an absurd smear campaign.” This came after the DOJ revealed it had uncovered various tactics employed by North Korea to finance their government, notably through outsourcing IT work for American businesses.
Earlier in the week, the DOJ disclosed that operatives from North Korea received assistance from individuals based in the U.S., China, the United Emirates, and Taiwan. These operatives managed to secure jobs with over 100 U.S. businesses, including major Fortune 500 companies.
The scheme purportedly involved hired employees obtaining laptops from these companies, which then allowed remote access for North Korean IT workers. Additionally, another strategy saw North Korean IT personnel using fake identities to secure positions at a blockchain research and development firm in Atlanta, Georgia, from which they stole more than $900,000 in cryptocurrency.
As part of its announcement about the North Korean scheme, the DOJ unsealed a five-count indictment against Zhenxing Wang, a U.S. national living in New Jersey, who has since been arrested.
The DOJ also announced that the FBI and Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) seized 17 web domains used as part of the scheme, along with 29 financial accounts holding tens of thousands of dollars, used to launder revenue for the North Korean regime.
The DOJ unveiled another part of the scheme, which resulted in a five-count wire fraud and money laundering indictment against four North Korean nationals: Kim Kwang Jin, Kang Tae Bok, Jong Pong Ju and Change Nam II.
The suspects are accused of scheming to steal virtual currency from two companies, with a value of over $900,000 at the time of the thefts, and to launder the proceeds.
All four nationals, the DOJ said, are at large and wanted by the FBI.
