A U.S. woman, Christina Chapman, has been sentenced to 102 months (over 8 years) in prison for running a large identity theft scheme that helped North Koreans pose as American workers. Chapman, 50, stole the identities of 68 U.S. citizens and used them to secure jobs at more than 300 companies, including major Fortune 500 firms like Nike.
Through this fraud, North Korean nationals were able to gain remote employment using fake identities. Chapman operated “laptop farms” in her homes in Arizona and Minnesota, logging into devices issued by American companies to make it appear that the workers were based in the U.S. She then helped these individuals remotely access the systems and collect their wages.
The operation generated $17 million, which was funneled back to North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. Chapman was paid $176,850 for her role and also sent over 35 packages to Dandong, China—near the North Korean border—as well as to countries like Pakistan, Nigeria, and the UAE.
Although Chapman claimed she did not know she was helping North Koreans, prosecutors argued that the evidence showed otherwise. They also criticized her continued insistence that the work was “legitimate,” even after pleading guilty to conspiracy, identity theft, and money laundering.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro called the case a warning to businesses nationwide, stating that “North Korea is not just a threat from afar—it is operating from within.” She urged companies to stay vigilant, noting that if such scams could reach top brands and banks, they could happen to anyone.
The FBI said the case highlights how adversarial nations like North Korea rely on insiders like Chapman to fund their global threats, especially through schemes that exploit U.S. systems and citizens.
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